Let Rise a New Alicorn
by LoverofChrist
Summary: After a fire destroys her home, Tara tries to pawn six mysterious jewels she's had for years. After falling through a magic mirror at the pawn shop, she finds herself in a world that she had never expected-but the world where she may belong. First MLP fanfic and first fanfic on this site. Rated T for dark situations and magical fighting action.
1. Chapter 1: Through the Looking-Glass

**Hey guys! First fanfic on this site and first MLP story, yay! I'm a bit of a pegisister (or however you spell the female word for brony, lol.) Well, enjoy! Please review and let me know how I can improve! Feel free to message me here too. :)**

I surveyed the ashes of my home, clutching my backpack, which held the only things I had left—five necklaces and a crown. They were relics of my childhood.

Long before the fire that had destroyed my home, I had loved to play on the banks of the river that ran outside our backyard. I had found all sorts of interesting trinkets that had washed up from other kids who played at the river. But these pieces of jewelry were by far the most intriguing. They seemed to be made out of real metal, with colorful stones that sparkled and shimmered like sunbeams. Each stone had a different color and a different shape. Sometimes as a child, I would put on the crown (which was a bit small on me) and admire my reflection in the mirror. The crown had been my favorite. That was why I had never told anyone of it. I had shown my big sister the first necklace I found—one with a blue balloon-shaped stone—and she told me it was probably a party favor from the birthday party another girl had had the week before. I didn't believe her but she was convinced. Ever since then I kept the other necklaces hidden, and I didn't dare mention the crown.

I opened the backpack and gazed sorrowfully at the sparkling beauty inside it. I would have to sell those jewels. I needed money so badly. Surely I could give up my childhood playthings in exchange for enough money to buy a meal.

It was a short walk to the local pawn store. Not my favorite place in the world to be sure, but probably the easiest to get money for these pieces of jewelry.

The line at the counter was so long I almost turned back, but the thought of all the money I could get for the jewelry kept me there. I found myself wandering, scanning the shelves, checking the place out while I waited.

I stopped in front of a full-length oval-shaped mirror roped off in a corner. A sign taped to its frame read "NOT FOR SALE: DO NOT TOUCH".

I looked closer and realized to my surprise it didn't seem to be doing what a mirror normally does. I mean, it wasn't reflecting me. I could see the image of what looked like a village at night beneath a sky filled with twinkling stars. I would have thought it was a painting, but the whole image was too shiny for that. Maybe a movie screen that just looked like a mirror?

Glancing around, I ducked under the ropes until I stood right in front of the mirror. I wanted a closer look. And boy, did I get one.

I tripped over my shoelace, which had somehow come untied, and fell into the mirror. And when I say into, I mean straight through.

I expected to end up in a pile of glass on the floor. What I got was anything but.

I was caught in a swirling purple maelstrom, spinning faster and faster, screaming, trying to keep a hold on my backpack. The last thing I remember thinking was how stereotypical tripping over my own shoelace had been.

An instant after thinking that, I hit a solid surface hard and blacked out.


	2. Chapter 2: Something Missing

**Wow, that was quick! Two reviews within hours of the first chapter, both asking for more! :D So here you go! This is a much longer chapter than the first. I'll try to make them as long as possible. Enjoy and thanks for reading! Please fav, follow, and review for more! ;)**

I slowly began to come to lying in what felt like a bed. I slowly opened my eyes to see what was indeed a bed under me. "Duh," I muttered.

A quick glance around the room revealed it looked like the inside of a hollowed out tree. Three of the four walls were lined with bookshelves. The fourth wall wasn't really a wall; it was more of a railing overlooking a huge open space downstairs. A staircase led down out of sight.

I slowly sat up and felt my throbbing head. Whatever I had hit, I'd hit hard.

Just then footsteps came up the staircase. "Oh, good! You're awake!" a young woman's voice said cheerfully.

It was the source of that voice that caught me off guard.

She—or it, I couldn't quite tell—was a small purple horse with a unicorn horn in the middle of her forehead. Her dark purple mane and tail each had a lavender highlight in the middle. Weirdest of all, purple wings were folded gracefully against her sides. Her big eyes sparkled at me as she looked me over.

I screamed. She/it screamed and jumped back, spreading her wings and hovering slightly off the floor. "Sweet Celestia! Wha—"

"What are you?! Where am I?!" I screamed at her. "What happened?!"

"Well, what are YOU?" she demanded in reply. "You look like a human. Are you?"

That surprised me. "Yes? I'm a girl…I'm nineteen…I fell through a magic mirror (I guess?) and down a purple maelstrom and hit the ground and passed out and here I am?"

The creature seemed to calm a little bit at this. "And you're alive? You can talk?"

I rolled my eyes. "Seriously?"

The creature settled back on the floor and folded in her wings. "Magic mirror, huh?" She cocked her head curiously. "Hmm…"

"So what ARE you?" I asked in a mixture of fear and awe as I realized just how beautiful this creature was.

The little horse brushed back her mane. "I'm Twilight Sparkle. You can call me Twilight. What's your name?"

"Tara Swift."

"I like that name."

Coming from a little purple horse creature, I wasn't sure how to take that comment. But she seemed sincere.

"So, uh, how did you find Equestria?" she asked offhandedly.

"Is that what this place is called?" I asked and looked around.

Twilight shook her head. "By Celestia, no. This is just my home. We're in the village of Ponyville, in the world of Equestria."

This was getting stranger by the minute. But I had to answer her questions. "I went into a pawn store to sell some jewelry, walked up to this mirror, fell through, and…here I am."

Twilight cocked her head. "Jewelry? Still have it?"

Miraculously, I still had my backpack. I opened the zipper and pulled out my favorite—the crown—and set it on my head to wow Twilight.

Her reaction, to say the least, was unexpected.

She screamed and flapped her front legs. "Sweet Celestia! My crown!"

"Yours?" I asked in confusion.

The backpack spilled open on the bed and the necklaces now fell out. Twilight seemed even more shocked. "Rarity's necklace! Fluttershy's! Applejack's!—" She stopped. "The Elements of Harmony—they're all here!"

"What are you talking about?!" I demanded.

Twilight looked up at me. "You have no idea what power you almost pawned."

I won't bore you with the explanations that followed. Twilight, always the perfect teacher, told me everything I needed to know about Ponyville and Equestria and all her friends. I can't describe my surprise, however, when she explained about the Elements of Harmony. She and I both knew that the necklaces and crown that had been my childhood joys were really magical stones critical to the peace of Equestria.

Twilight finally stopped talking and hesitantly walked closer to me. "So…what do you think of all of that?"

"I don't know what to think," I replied honestly.

Twilight chuckled. "Well, I'll give you some time to process all of this." Suddenly she got an idea. "Want to meet my friends tonight?"

"I'd love to!" I smiled.

Twilight rubbed her hooves together in excitement. "Perfect! I'll invite them all here and we can have a girls' night!"

As she galloped (and I mean that literally) out the front door, I picked the backpack up again and admired the Elements of Harmony. Each individual facet on the gems gleamed like its own star; holding just one was like holding a galaxy in my hand.

They were certainly breathtaking. But they seemed to be more. Holding just one made me somehow feel connected to them, yet I felt the connection was incomplete. I double-checked to make sure they were all present. Sure enough, I saw all six elements—laughter, loyalty, honesty, generosity, kindness, magic. But I couldn't help but feel like one was missing. I would have to talk to Twilight about that later.

After a couple of hours I heard the door downstairs open and what sounded like a pogo stick come bounding into the house. "Hi up there, Twilight's new friend!" a high-pitched voice exclaimed excitedly. "She says you don't have any hooves but I think she's just joking because practically everyone in Equestria has hooves and—"

By this point I had made it to the top of the staircase and saw that the one chattering was a pink pony with a bushy mane and tail. When she saw me she stopped talking and screamed, jumping off the floor. "SHE WAS RIGHT!"

"Oh, Pinkie, I'm sure there's a rational explanation," interrupted a voice with a country drawl as an orange pony with a blond mane and a brown fedora followed her in. This second pony saw me too and halted in mid step. "What in tarnation?!"

"You must be Applejack and Pinkie Pie," I ventured hesitantly, remembering Twilight's descriptions.

Pinkie screamed. "SHE CAN TALK!" And out the door she went in a pink blur.

"Sorry 'bout that," Applejack apologized for the hyperactive pony. "You're right, I'm Applejack. And who 're you?"

"My name is Tara," I replied as I walked down the stairs.

"Well, it's a pleasure, Miss Tara," Applejack smiled. "I know the others will be real happy to meet you."

Right on cue, in walked Twilight and three other little ponies. Actually, one of them—a blue one that I assumed to be Rainbow Dash—flew through like a lightning bolt and plopped into a chair. "So, Twilight, what did Spike drag in?" she asked, eyeing me.

"Rainbow Dash!" scolded a purple-maned pony that could only have been Rarity. "The human creature has feelings too, you know!" She eyed my T-shirt and tight jeans and snorted in disgust. "Horrible taste in fashion, however."

The last pony, a yellow pegasus with a flowing pink mane, approached me shyly. "Hi. I'm Fluttershy," she almost whispered and smiled.

"It's good to meet all of you," I addressed the whole group. "I'm Tara. Twilight found me after I fell through a magic mirror and landed here. And I've got something for you." I held up the Elements, which I had hidden behind my back.

All the ponies were in shock.

Twilight trotted in behind her friends. "I know! Isn't it incredible?"

"All this time…we never knew…" Applejack reached for the necklace containing her element of honesty. "How could they make it to her world…and how could she make it to ours?"

"My guess is that the magic portal I used to come to your world has shifted," Twilight thought aloud, addressing me.

My world…a thought struck me. "Were you behind all those weird stories at Canterlot High School?" I asked. **(Author's note: references to Equestria Girls and Rainbow Rocks here. :P )**

Twilight really looked surprised now. "Yes! Who told you?"

"Sunset Shimmer did." It was all coming together now. "I went there when I was younger. Sunset Shimmer was about to graduate, but right before she did, she told me these amazing stories. She told me how she used to be a pony, but turned evil and was banished here, then how she sneaked back and stole a magic crown…a pony princess had to chase her to get it back and turn her good…and then girls who turned out to be sirens, and the pony princess had to come back…"

Twilight was practically prancing around the room in excitement now. "Yes! Yes! YES!"

The other ponies looked like they were still in the dark. No surprise there; Twilight probably hadn't told them everything.

I couldn't believe myself. All those stories I had laughed at were true. I was looking at living proof.

"Hello! Trying to get your attention here!" an annoyed voice exclaimed as a blue hoof waved in front of my face.

I shook my head to clear my vision and saw the blue Pegasus pony Rainbow Dash hovering in front of me. "So," she asked slyly, "did you steal the Elements of Harmony like Sunset Shimmer did?"

"No!" I protested. "No, honestly! I found them washed up in a river behind my house." I looked appealing toward Applejack. "Your element is honesty. Am I lying?"

"She's telling the truth, y'all," the orange earth pony confirmed.

Rainbow Dash looked puzzled. "And you've had them for how long?"

"Since I was about five."

"And now you're…"

"Nineteen."

Rainbow drew back in surprise. "You sure she's being honest, Applejack?"

"Fourteen years? Really?" the almost painfully bright pink Pinkie Pie asked. "Because Twilight only noticed the Elements were missing about two weeks ago and she's been looking for them ever since, especially in the Everfree Forest, which of course has plenty of rivers so I guess one of them could run to your world but still—"

She finally stopped talking as an irritated Rainbow Dash wrapped one wing around the pink muzzle.

"Maybe time in your world isn't the same as Equestria?" Twilight suggested.

"That's got to be it." I looked pleadingly at the ponies. "Please believe me. I didn't steal the Elements. I didn't even know anything about this place until a few hours ago. I always thought these were just costume jewelry. But they're yours." I dropped the necklaces and crown to the floor—they landed in a shining pile.

As each pony shyly moved toward me to collect her element, I motioned to Twilight. She got the message and stepped aside with me. "Listen," I began, "something seems…wrong…with the Elements."

Twilight frowned. "Oh?"

"Something just seems to be missing. Like there's a seventh element that isn't here."

"But there are only six. There have been six for millennia," Twilight replied in confusion.

"I know. But maybe the seventh is…new."

**I specifically looked up Friendship is Magic on YouTube to make sure I got the ponies' talking styles right. Hopefully I did. :P Thanks for reading! :D**


	3. Chapter 3: A Search for Answers

The seven of us had basically the human equivalent of a slumber party that night. Twilight, of course, had her checklist to make sure we did everything right. We gave each other makeovers, we told creepy stories, played truth or dare, had a pillow fight, made smores, and ate cupcakes. (That last part was Pinkie's idea. She wanted to give me a full-out welcome party but she was overruled. A human in Ponyville could be very…disrupting.)

Long after the others had fallen asleep I lay wide awake, staring at the ceiling. So many thoughts were filling my mind. I was the sole human in a realm full of talking ponies. I obviously had some kind of connection with the Elements of Harmony. There was just too much going on at once.

Carefully I got up from the bed Twilight had made for me and sneaked downstairs.

Twilight was still up, to my surprise. Of course she had a book open, levitated with her magic, reading by candlelight. She looked up as I approached. "Still awake?"

"I've got a lot to think about."

Twilight nodded toward a kettle and teacup next to her. "Want some chamomile tea?"

"I'd love some."

Twilight poured me a cup and handed it to me with her magic without losing her grip on the book. I watched this in amazement. She seemed amused. "You humans have no idea what we alicorns can do." She closed the book and set it down. "You want to talk?"

"Yeah." I sipped the tea and found it excellent. "I really feel like something's missing from the Elements."

Twilight frowned again. "But like I said, there have always been six."

"Maybe you missed something…?" I pressed.

Twilight reopened her book. "There must be something in here about a seventh element, if there is one." She indicated a nearby stack of books with her hoof. "Mind helping me check?"

We stayed up the rest of the night looking through books and found nothing. By morning both of us were exhausted.

Pinkie was the first one awake. She bounded down the stairs with her pogo stick-like step. "Hi guys!" She froze in midair as she saw how tired we were. "What? Didn't you sleep at all last night? I didn't talk at all last night, I promise! I mean, I know I talk a lot during the day, but—"

This time Twilight's magic sealed the pink mouth shut.

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy trotted down the stairs next. "Whatcha doin', Twi?" Rainbow teased. "Keep Tara up all night studying too?"

Twilight looked at me. "Want me to tell them?"

I nodded and glanced toward the stairs. Rarity and Applejack were now awake and headed our way.

Twilight stood up. "Everypony listen up. Tara here told me yesterday that she felt one of the Elements of Harmony was missing. We stayed up all night searching for any evidence of a seventh element and haven't found anything yet."

"You ain't gonna find nothin' on a seventh element," Applejack asserted.

Twilight looked back at me. "I know it seems crazy but…I have to agree with Tara. There's got to be a seventh."

"Yeah? How you gonna find out about it?" Rainbow Dash questioned.

"By going to see the other princesses."

The ponies looked at each other in surprise. Abruptly Rarity began to laugh. "You'll go all the way to Canterlot and drag Princess Cadence from the Crystal Empire just to satisfy your curiosity about some silly seventh element?"

"Girls, we have to do this!" Twilight insisted.

"Sorry, Twilight." Rarity sauntered toward the door. "I'm busy at the boutique today. You're on your own."

"I get to babysit Pound and Pumpkin again today!" Pinkie exclaimed excitedly. "Gotta go!"

"Don't get dragged through the kitchen again," Twilight advised Pinkie's backside as the hyperactive pony skedaddled. "How about you, Fluttershy?"

"Sorry, Twilight," the yellow Pegasus almost whispered, "I have to take care of a sick puppy at home."

Twilight sighed; her ears drooped in disappointment. "Well, all right. Rainbow Dash? Applejack?"

Applejack considered. "I finished all my chores yesterday. Sure, I can go with y'all!"

"And the Wonderbolts won't be back here for a while yet. Got nothin' else to do." Rainbow shrugged. "Why not?"

Twilight brightened up a bit now. "Thanks, girls! Now let's get to Canterlot and see if there really is a seventh element."


	4. Chapter 4: Canterlot

**Sigh...no new reviews in the past couple days. Oh well, hopefully a new story image and a new chapter will change that. :) Drama coming soon! :D Stay tuned! Thanks to those who have been viewing and following! **

I thought Canterlot would be a pretty fair distance from Ponyville, but the capital of Equestria was actually not that far away. Twilight led Rainbow, Applejack, and me through mountain trails to get there.

"I don't see why we couldn't just call a taxi," Rainbow complained.

"Coming from a Pegasus?" Applejack chuckled.

"Rainbow Dash, you know the Ponyville taxis don't run all the way to Canterlot. Besides, we don't want word of a human to get out too soon," Twilight asserted.

"You told Pinkie Pie." Rainbow waved her hooves. "All of Equestria will probably know by sundown."

"Aw, what's the harm in that?" Applejack drawled. She nuzzled me and smiled. "Don't you worry yerself, Tara. Everythin' will be a-OK. The princesses are real nice ponies and they'll be delighted to meet you."

"Applejack, I'm one of the princesses," Twilight reminded her friend. "And Cadence hasn't left the Crystal Empire for months." She moved a rock out of the path with her magic.

Rainbow Dash landed on the path and walked a little. "What's that got to do with anything?"

Twilight sighed. "Cadence tells me King Sombra has been spotted again."

Twilight had told me about King Sombra already, and her story had ended with him being defeated. This new piece of news alarmed me.

"Sombra's back?" Applejack exclaimed in surprise.

"Yep." Twilight kept walking. "Cadence doesn't want to leave the Empire yet."

"But can't Shining Armor's protection spell do enough?" Rainbow Dash asked.

"They're taking turns. Protecting the whole city is just too much work for one pony all the time." Twilight paused. "Maybe I can convince Cadence to come while Shining's doing the magic."

"Would you?" I pleaded. "She may know something about a seventh element."

"I'll try." Twilight pointed with one hoof. "There it is, girls!"

The city of Canterlot had to be the most beautiful sight I'd seen since my arrival in Equestria. And that's saying a lot.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash walked further ahead while Twilight and I lagged behind. The little lavender alicorn looked up at me. "You doing alright?"

"Are we really going to meet the princesses?" I asked.

Twilight smiled. "Don't worry! They're amazing ponies. If anyone in Equestria knows of a seventh element, they would."

"But I'm a human in a world full of ponies!"

Twilight chuckled. "That's what I felt like when I came into your world." She looked me over curiously. "Though when I entered your world, I had clothes and hands and fingers and all that stuff you humans have. You haven't gotten any pony features. I wonder why?"

I shrugged. "Maybe we can ask them that too?"

Twilight chuckled. "Sure."

A few minutes later, Twilight decided against walking into Canterlot. Instead she used her teleport magic to land us right inside the gates of Celestia's castle. "We don't want anypony else to see a human here," she pointed out.

I didn't know if I would ever get used to teleport magic. I figured I would have to. Who knew how long I would be here.

Twilight led the way toward a huge room with a vaulted ceiling and four thrones against one wall. The largest throne, in the center, bore an image of a golden sun. A smaller throne to the right featured a silver moon, and two slightly smaller thrones to each side bore a blue crystal heart and lavender sparkles—Twilight's cutie mark, I realized. That must be her princess throne.

Two gorgeous ponies stood in the center of the room. One was white with a beautiful flowing almost rainbow colored mane, and the same golden sun for her cutie mark. She was talking with a slightly smaller pony who had a flowing sparkly blue mane and tail, and a crescent moon on her flank. A third pony, baby pink with the crystal heart on her flank, was just joining them.

I stood there dumbfounded. From what Twilight had told me, I was in the presence of Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and Princess Cadence—three of the most magically gifted ponies in all of Equestria. Only Twilight's magic could rival theirs.

Dash was actually walking now—I guess even a pony as energetic as her has to be respectful in a palace. Applejack seemed a little nervous. Understandable, of course. She was used to Sweet Apple Acres, not a palace where the slightest swish of a tail could break something.

Twilight, on the other hoof, seemed perfectly at home. I mentally facepalmed when I realized I had thought "the other hoof". This place was already getting to my mind.


	5. Chapter 5: Attacked

**Drama beginning here! Stay tuned for more. Please fav, follow, and review! :D God bless and thanks for reading!**

The purple alicorn stepped forward toward the other princesses. "Greetings. I have come with my friends to ask a very important question."

Applejack removed her hat, and she and Rainbow Dash prostrated themselves on the floor as the three princesses approached us. Twilight didn't bow—I guess she was equal in status with them now. But I figured better be safe. Kneeling, I followed Applejack's lead and practically kissed the floor.

A gold-shoed hoof touched my shoulder. It was Princess Celestia. "Please stand, mysterious guest."

I stood nervously. The three princesses inspected me almost a little fearfully. "Twilight, is she from the world where Sunset Shimmer is now?" Cadence asked finally.

"Yes!" Twilight answered excitedly. "She even went to Canterlot High School and heard all the stories about my adventures there."

"What you do call yourself?" Luna asked me directly.

"I'm a human," I answered. "My name is Tara Swift." I was getting used to introducing myself to skeptical ponies by now. I explained how I had fallen through the magic mirror and how Twilight had found me outside the Everfree Forest and taken me home.

The three royal ponies looked at each other in confusion. "Why did you bring her here?" Cadence finally asked.

Twilight nudged me. "Tell them what you told me."

I took in a breath and let it out carefully. "Your Highnesses, when Twilight told me the jewelry I had was really the Elements of Harmony, I realized something seemed missing from them. It seems like there should be a seventh. But Twilight couldn't find anything in her books about it."

Celestia chuckled a bit at this. "Still checking the books for everything, Twilight Sparkle?"

The little alicorn blushed.

"My sister," Luna addressed the sun princess, "if what the human says is true, why are the Elements still so powerful?"

"She's right," Cadence pointed out. "Even now, if one element is missing, all are useless. If one element has been gone all this time, how were you (she spoke to Twilight now) able to turn Discord into stone? How did Celestia defeat Nightmare Moon? How did she and Luna defeat Discord in the first place?"

Twilight shook her head. "I don't know. That's why we're here."

Suddenly a rumble of thunder came from outside. Applejack looked at Rainbow Dash in irritation. "What is it with you Pegasus ponies and thunderstorms this week?"

"That can't be the Pegasusi," Rainbow replied, puzzled. She flew to the window and peered out. Almost immediately she drew back in a panic. "Uh, girls? Princesses? Big trouble."

"If you think that big cloud out there is dark magic, it's a thundercloud," Luna remarked dryly.

"Then why are all those Pegasi attacking it?!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed.

"Uh-oh," Twilight murmured.

Celestia looked grave. "Rainbow Dash is right. That is no thunderstorm."

Cadence took a closer look at the cloud and seemed to grow worried. I followed her gaze and saw that the cloud was sparking—red sparks of electricity or magic, I couldn't tell which, were everywhere.

I knew something bad was happening—but of course, I had no idea what.

But Cadence knew. "That must be Sombra!" she cried to the other princesses. "Shining Armor's spell couldn't keep him out forever."

Twilight seemed very frightened. "Well, what can we do?!"

Celestia wasted no time. Quickly she focused herself toward the black cloud and attacked. A stream of pink-purple magic shot from her horn and hit the cloud square in the center.

As light and dark magic collided, I expected the cloud to dissolve or at least weaken. But instead it seemed to absorb the magical attack by the sun princess. Shocked, Celestia struggled to stop using her magic. She barely was able to cease.

Luna hurried to her sister's side in alarm. "What has he done?"

"He is stealing magic," Celestia answered gravely. "Attacks seem to only strengthen him."

"We can't let him have our magic!" Cadence determined.

Luna nodded toward Rainbow Dash and Applejack, who had been hovering nervously to one side. "You two, take Tara and flee." She turned to Twilight. "We will once again transfer our magic to you, as we did when Tirek attacked us. Once you have our magic you must flee with them."

Twilight nodded and closed her eyes.


	6. Chapter 6: Twilight's Sacrifice

**Here you go Majestic Wren! I really appreciate your amazing reviews. :D Thanks to everyone else who's been following and reviewing too! Hope you enjoy this new chapter! Please continue to review, you have no idea how much it means to me! ;) BTW I decided to go ahead and raise the rating to T, since Twilight will find herself in...a bad situation soon.**

The three princesses lit their horns, summoning their magic. And then the most amazing thing I've ever seen happened—right before my eyes.

Each princess opened her eyes—they glowed white with power. A glowing orb appeared directly above Twilight before slowly absorbing into her horn. Twilight levitated, her eyes glowing, mane and tail flowing in wind no one else felt. Meanwhile the other princesses slumped from exhaustion, their cutie marks gone—their magical strength gone as well.

Twilight settled back into her normal form and looked forlornly at Celestia. The teary-eyed sun princess repeated her earlier command. "Flee. And do not look back."

Rainbow Dash hurried up next to me. "Come on, Tara!"

"We can't leave the princesses!" I argued.

Rainbow's hooves hooked under my arms. "No time!" She flapped her wings furiously and barely lifted me a foot off the ground. "Man! Lose weight!"

"Rainbow Dash, don't worry about Tara. I'll take care of her. You take Applejack and get out of here!" ordered Twilight. The rainbow-maned pony dropped me on the floor and picked up Applejack instead before speeding away in a rainbow trail.

Twilight motioned to me with a hoof. "Hope you can run fast." She galloped through the palace hallways as I did my best to keep up.

"How can the smallest alicorn run so fast?!" I panted.

"Practice," Twilight answered without batting an eye. But as we reached the gate even she froze. "Uh-oh."

The dark cloud had expanded and was beginning to enshroud the Equestrian palace in dark magic. Our escape route was blocked.

Twilight backed up in worry. "We've got to get out of here somehow!"

"But how are you and I going to get past King Sombra?" I asked in desperation.

"The library has another route to the outside. Maybe we can escape that way." Twilight set off galloping again. "Come on!"

I ran as fast as I could.

Meanwhile the sky grew darker as the cloud expanded. I could hear deep, dark laughter that seemed to be making Twilight shudder. King Sombra was powerful and he knew it. It was only a matter of time till he found the princesses—wherever they had gone.

Twilight suddenly engulfed me in her magic and pulled me through a door, slamming it shut behind me. "We're here," she announced, panting and lit her horn.

The Canterlot library archives had to be the dustiest room in Equestria. Twilight must have been one of the only ones who got any pleasure out of these books.

She began searching for the aforementioned passageway while I read the signs telling me what section I was looking at. Starswirl the Bearded's section intrigued me. Twilight had told me about the time spells she had found there before.

I pulled one book off the shelf and it fell open to an elaborate two-page drawing. A grassy hill at the bottom held a Pegasus, a unicorn, and an earth pony around its base. On top of the hill were the four alicorn princesses—Celestia, Luna, Cadence, and Twilight. But above them all, hovering with magnificent wings outspread, was the most majestic alicorn of all. Her long, flowing mane bore each color of the Elements of Harmony, and was so perfect and beautiful I couldn't believe such glory had been captured in a drawing. Her hooves were covered by baby pink horseshoes. Her coat seemed to glow silver and gold and white all at once. But her cutie mark really caught my attention.

It was a small cloud divided into six sections—each section was the color of one of the Elements of Harmony.

In the center of the cloud was a broken sword.

"I found our way out!" Twilight shouted just then. I jumped and dropped the book, still open to the drawing that had caught my attention.

Twilight approached me. "What are you doing? We've got to—" She spied the drawing and stopped mid-sentence. She seemed to have a flashback moment—then looked at me. "Oh…by Celestia…can it be…?"

"Twilight?" I asked in confusion.

"The prophecy," Twilight whispered. Using her magic, she grabbed the book and flipped through it. "Where is it? Where's the spell?"

"I thought you said we had to get away from King Sombra!" I cried.

"We do," Twilight answered without looking up.

"Then what in the name of—"

"We can't let Sombra capture the magic I now carry within me," Twilight explained. Finally she set the book down. "And I can't transfer the magic to you. You humans can't bear the power of even one alicorn, let alone four. I'm going to put it in something that we can carry and hide if we must."

"But what spell were you looking for?!" I demanded.

"The magic transfer spell. Starswirl the Bearded wrote that he used his time spell to see what would happen in the distant future—he was only able to go once, but he wrote everything he saw. He foretold my becoming a princess alicorn. But he also foretold a fifth and final alicorn who would rise when Equestria needed her the most. She was not born an alicorn, but when she becomes one, no magic in Equestria can stand against her."

"But who is she?"

"Nopony knows." Twilight sighed. "And the spell in the book contains the only known way to transfer this much alicorn magic to an inanimate object. The spell also contains prophecy—but nopony understands it."

A thunderclap alerted us that Sombra was very near. Twilight charged her horn. "You may want to step back, Tara."

"Will we be able to escape?"

Twilight looked at me long and hard. "Only one of us can," she finally answered. "You. Sombra doesn't know you are here. If he finds me, he will be satisfied."

"Twilight, no!"

But Twilight was determined. She used her magic and pulled something from a frame on the wall. It was a tiny alicorn made of carved gemstones. I noticed that the figurine had come from a shadow box with multiple carvings of ponies—three prominent ponies near the bottom clearly represented a unicorn, a Pegasus, and an earth pony. Four small alicorn carvings above them were obviously Celestia, Luna, Cadence, and Twilight herself. But the fifth alicorn—the one Twilight now had—had been the most prominent of all, her mane bearing all the colors of the Elements of Harmony. It was exactly like the drawing I had just seen.

I was confused. Who was this final alicorn princess?

But before I could ask Twilight, I noticed what she was doing.

Twilight levitated the small alicorn amulet with her magic. She plucked three long hairs from her mane, her magic rapidly braiding them into a cord on which she suspended the alicorn like a necklace charm. She sighed deeply. "Here goes nothing. Let's hope this ancient spell works." And she quietly began to chant.

"Oh alicorn of gemstone made,

This I command of thee today.

Bear the magic of the land,

Place the power in her hand.

The Element inside is strong,

For she has borne it all along.

And if she be worthy of thy flame,

Give her hooves and a new name,

Wings to fly, a magic horn,

And let rise a new alicorn.

If she wears thee both out and in,

Then shall the spell ne'er be broken.

This magic I seal thee within."

Twilight's horn lit up and a stream of purple alicorn magic flowed into the amulet. I heard her groaning with the effort.

The door into the room began to give. Twilight quickly finished the spell and picked up the necklace with what remained of her magic. She seemed to struggle even with the simple task of levitating a small necklace but she was determined. Quickly she placed the amulet around my neck. "The escape route is behind the third bookshelf on your left. Be careful with that necklace; that is virtually all the alicorn magic left in Equestria. I've kept just enough that Sombra will think he has stolen all my magic when you have it." She bit her lip. "You must never, NEVER, become enraged when you wear the necklace. Negative energy can twist the alicorn magic within that amulet into dark magic—and Equestria will be ruined." The door cracked and Twilight looked at me forlornly. "Run, Tara."

"But Twilight—"

She pushed me. "Run!"

I ran to the bookshelf and jumped into a secret passageway. About ten feet in I paused. Twilight had entrusted me with almost all of her magic, plus she was giving herself up so I could escape. I owed it to her to try to save her. Carefully I began to sneak back.

But just as I arrived at the doorway, just out of sight, I saw him.

King Sombra.

He was levitating Twilight in the air. Her hooves were tied together with streams of dark magic, and the energy swirled around her in a sickening black tornado. She was struggling but plainly trapped. Sombra laughed in triumph. "Now hold still, Sparkle."

A stream of dark magic shot from his horn and made contact with hers. Twilight writhed in agony and screamed as what little bit of her magic that remained was forcibly ripped out of her. Sombra absorbed her power and laughed mockingly. Suddenly he released the dark magic holding Twilight prisoner and she dropped to the floor. She lay there without stirring, her ribcage barely moving as she breathed.

I realized I was growing angry and quickly tried to suppress it. Too much anger could twist the alicorn magic in my amulet into dark magic.

A cloud of dark magic swirled in front of Sombra and formed into three long, heavy chains. Two of the chains wound themselves around Twilight's hooves—the third went around her neck and dragged her to her hooves. Sombra jerked on the chain on her neck. "Move it, slave."

Twilight choked and gagged as the chain tightened painfully. Sombra growled. "I said move!"

With a groan Twilight dragged herself along. I touched the glistening alicorn around my neck. I didn't have a moment to lose. I knew exactly what I had to do.

I had to follow them.

Wherever they were taking Twilight, she wouldn't be their prisoner for long.


	7. Chapter 7: Surrender

**Slightly darker chapter...my apologies. Will get a little darker in upcoming chapters, but never to an M type of darkness. Little more on Sunset Shimmer and Equestria Girls here too! :P Keep reviewing and thanks for reading!**

As Sombra dragged his prisoner out of the library, I cautiously followed. The thought of what could happen to Twilight horrified me; I couldn't let him take her.

Twilight didn't seem to think I had stayed. She must have assumed I had fled like she had told me to. She twisted and struggled in vain against her bonds. "You won't win against the Elements even if you have my alicorn magic, Sombra!" she gasped.

Sombra laughed darkly. "The Elements of Harmony? Your own friends will suffer their affects once I have captured the stones and their bearers."

"But you don't have my crown! Without one element, all are powerless!" Twilight seemed to be pleading with her captor.

Sombra growled. "How hard can it be to locate the crown containing the Element of Magic?"

Twilight yanked hard on her chain and almost choked herself again. Sombra's scowl deepened. "Enough from you. I have plans for you, 'Princess' Twilight Sparkle."

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked fearfully, her ears drooping.

"Your fellow 'princesses' are my enemies, but they can rot in dungeons for all I care. But you…" Sombra pulled her towards him till their noses almost touched. "You kept me from retaking my rightful due in the Crystal Empire. You've obviously hidden your magic. And you are beautiful." The rage in his eyes turned to lust.

Twilight struggled wildly as she understood his meaning. Sombra laughed. "Not now, Sparkle. I will have my fun with you when I am ready."

Twilight seemed absolutely terrified now. Frantically she fought the chains of dark magic, but without her own magic she was powerless. "Help!" she screamed. "Help!"

I longed to save her but what could I do? The only magic I had was in my amulet. I sure as heck didn't know how to conjure it out of the amulet, much less use it against Sombra. For now, Twilight was on her own.

I started to sneak after them again but a pair of blue hooves pulled me back into the secret passageway. A very irritated Rainbow Dash hovered at about eye level with me. "Where were you two?"

"Twilight—Sombra—captured—" I whispered.

I knew my news sounded about as helpful as Spike's "Twilight! Trouble! Help! (faint)" But it was really all I could say after what I had witnessed.

Fortunately Rainbow seemed to get my meaning. She grabbed me under the arms again and shot through the passageway. "Come on! We'll meet up with the others at Twilight's library."

"Rainbow! Put me down!"

"Sorry, not until you've got wings and can fly as fast as I can."

Obviously there was no point in arguing with her.

I fingered my necklace again and remembered watching Twilight enchant it. There had to be some way to summon the magic and save her.

Suddenly something dawned on me. Back in Canterlot High, Sunset Shimmer had once been telling a group of eager kids a story that she claimed was true. I hadn't wanted to be there, but I was responsible for babysitting one of the girls that day and I had to be there. Sunset's eyes filled with awe as she described seeing the Rainbooms singing what she called "a musical counter-spell". She painted beautiful word pictures of them turning "anthro"—growing their pony ears, tails, wings, and magic highlights in their hair. All of the children had been riveted.

"The sirens' singing knocked the microphone from Twilight's hand," Sunset continued, "and it landed at my feet. I picked it up. And Twilight shouted at me: 'Sunset Shimmer, we need you!' I was just as afraid as they were, but I got angry when I looked up at those sirens. I took off my jacket and started to sing another counter-spell. As the rest of the Rainbooms joined in our magic combined and became even stronger than before. Then suddenly, I felt it flowing through me." She paused, a hand over her heart, eyes closed, as she remembered. "I floated off the ground—I grew pony ears and as I spun in the air, my hair lengthened into a ponytail."

The girl I was babysitting interrupted then. "What did you feel when the magic came over you?"

Sunset considered this for a minute. "I felt like…like I needed to surrender. I was scared at first. I hadn't felt Equestrian magic since the rainbow of friendship destroyed my evil form. But somehow I knew this magic was helping me, not against me. Fighting would prevent its work or worse, turn it back to dark magic. So I surrendered to it. And I gained back part of my pony magic."

I had rolled my eyes the whole time at this girl's wild imagination. But now it made sense. The magic had been there—and when she participated in the counter-spell and didn't fight the magic coming over her, she became just as powerful as Twilight for a few moments.

"But that still doesn't tell me how to summon the magic in here to begin with," I thought aloud. Rainbow Dash didn't seem to hear me. I couldn't have heard myself either, if I was intent on breaking the sound barrier as Dash seemed to be.

"Dashie?" I asked. She didn't answer. "DASHIE!"

"No need to yell, I'm right here!"

(Sigh)

Rainbow set me down. I noticed we were in front of Twilight's treehouse now. "What were you mumbling about on the way?" Rainbow asked, still hovering in front of me.

"I need to find out how to conjure the magic from this amulet," I told her. "If I can do that, we can save Twilight before—" I stopped. I couldn't bring myself to tell Rainbow Dash what Sombra planned to do to my new pony best friend.

"Bring out the magic, huh? May be able to find something in the library about that." Dash opened the door.

"Dashie?" I asked. "Have you ever been on the receiving end of one of Twilight's spells?"

Rainbow hesitated. "Yes…"

"What do I do if I'm on the receiving end of pure magic?"

Dash thought about it. "What do you think you should do?"

"Sunset Shimmer says that when good magic wants to flow over and through you, surrender to it."

Dash nodded. "Couldn't have said it better myself."

"But what if the spell is dark magic?"

Rainbow Dash looked a little afraid now. In a rare serious moment, she looked me straight in the eye and answered gravely.

"Fight. Fight it with everything you've got."


	8. Chapter 8: The Magic Begins

**Sorry for the shorter chapter-running out of ideas. :P A much longer chapter coming up ASAP! :D**

Rainbow Dash flew around town until the rest of Twilight's friends—aka the Mane Six—were gathered in her treehouse library. Spike was still nowhere to be seen. According to Fluttershy, the little dragon was visiting animals in the mountains. I didn't know if I believed her, but since we couldn't find Spike…

I did my best to tell everyone what had happened in Canterlot and that Twilight had been captured. To convey the urgency of the situation, I began to repeat Sombra's plan for her. But I stopped short of naming the action. I wasn't even sure they would know what the word meant.

I sighed and pulled the amulet out from under my shirt collar. "All the alicorn magic in Equestria is now inside this gemstone alicorn. We can't let Sombra have it. But if the magic stays in here, we can't use it to save Twilight and defeat Sombra."

"Twilight's library must have some information we can use!" Rainbow Dash asserted.

"And just how do you propose we find it?" Rarity asked.

"Help me look," I requested. "The sooner we find this solution, the sooner we can attack Sombra."

Pinkie bounced around the library. " 'The Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide'; still under E. Probably don't need that." She tossed it aside. " 'Egg Recipes'? Didn't know Twilight had a book like that!" She pulled it off the shelf. "Hey Tara! Have you ever had an egg cherrychanga?"

I pulled the book from her hot pink hooves. "Not now, Pinkie."

Applejack was bucking through a huge pile of books Twilight had left on the floor. "No, no, no, no, no...maybe?"

I turned sharply. "What did you find?"

Applejack pointed at the book, open on the floor before her. "It's our journal. Twilight wrote in here about entering your world."

I took the book from her and noticed a section dated a few years ago, shortly before I had come to Canterlot High School back in my world. (Of course, Twilight had written the date in Equestrian time, but I knew enough to calculate to my time now.)

The entry read thus:

"I've just returned from my second adventure in the very strange world of humans. This time we tangled with sirens and we allied with Sunset Shimmer. I'll write about all that later; for now I want to record the magic I witnessed there.

"The human Rainbow Dash showed me what she called a video of herself growing Pegasus wings, pony ears, and ponytail hair. I was surprised; I thought all the magic had come back to Equestria with me. Apparently some got left behind.

"After I came home I started wondering. I had crossed into their world and now several of them carried magic forever. If someone from their world came to ours, I wonder what would happen. Would they grow pony features? Maybe, if the magic was strong enough and they did not fight it.

"Well, it's late and I've got princess duties in the morning. I'll finish this entry later."

I thought about that. Was there enough magic seeping from the amulet to flow into me—even if all it did was give me ears and a tail?

I looked down at my amulet and focused hard on it, harder than I'd ever focused on anything before. I thought about Twilight and how much I longed to save her. I thought about the rest of the Mane Six, how much magic they could produce together. I thought about finding the Elements of Harmony one by one in the river, and Twilight telling me what they really were. I thought of Sombra's attack and Twilight's sacrifice to save me.

And as I did, I felt myself growing lighter. I looked down and realized I was engulfed in a cloud of magic that shone the colors of all six Elements.

I panicked and immediately dropped back to the floor. As the Mane Six stared I mentally scolded myself. "Don't fight it," I whispered. "Surrender." I tried again.

And this time something else happened.

I levitated again in that shimmering cloud, and felt my body warm with the ebb and flow of the alicorn magic. Something tingled on my scalp—I reached up and felt a pair of velvety ears. I rapidly began to spin in the air as my hair lengthened almost to the floor in a long ponytail—and a pair of magnificent shimmering wings unfurled from my back.

The magic completed, I settled back on the floor and tried to collect my thoughts.

Had I just turned—anthro?

The ponies stared at me in shock. Pinkie was the first to recover. "You're part pony now! YAY! PARTY!" She sneezed confetti all over the room.

"It worked!" I cried. "It worked! The magic got into me!"

"But will it be enough to save Twilight?" Applejack asked worriedly.

"I hope so."


	9. Chapter 9: Sweet and Sour

**Next chapter! Hope you like! :) For those who are curious, Tara is named after Tara Strong, the voice of Twilight Sparkle in the TV show and both Equestria Girls movies. ;)**

"OK, you flap in and out like this—come on, you can do better than that!"

I groaned. "I've only had these wings half an hour, Dashie!"

"I was flying around Cloudsdale before I could even talk. Show me some action, Tara!"

I wanted to punch the annoying blue Pegasus but that wouldn't have accomplished anything.

"You'll get it," encouraged Fluttershy. She turned her back to me and flapped her wings gently. "You just go up and down, up and down, like this. Eventually you'll be flying."

I imitated her and nothing happened.

"Uh, you weigh a lot more than us ponies. Try flapping harder," Rainbow Dash advised.

I pumped my anthro wings slightly harder and lifted myself about a millimeter off the floor. A little more vigorous flapping sent me up a foot—before I lost control. I faceplanted into Twilight's floor.

Rarity used her magic to stand me back up. "Now, now, dear, not to worry. Try again."

Hours must have passed. I struggled with my newly acquired wings. I may look like an angel now, but I was a clumsy angel confined to extremely low flights.

Finally I slumped in discouragement against the wall. "Hey, you can't stop now! Keep going!" Dash exclaimed.

"Forget it, Dashie! We all know it's hopeless." I looked at my wings and sighed. "I can't help Twilight if my own wings keep me pinned to the ground."

"She felt the same way when she first got her wings, ya know." Applejack stood in front of me. "Come on, T'ara." The way she pronounced my name sounded like "tiara". "I know you can learn to fly. You can make those wings obey yuh."

"You're just saying that, Applejack," I muttered. Immediately I realized my mistake, saying that to the bearer of the Element of Honesty. Even now the amber-colored apple gleamed on her necklace.

Applejack put a gentle hoof in my hand. "I never, never, say things just to make somepony feel good n' all. I only say what's the honest truth. You can fly. You just have to control yer wings. Don't let them control you."

I wanted so badly to believe her. But I could only shake my head. "I—just give me a minute, girls."

Pinkie looked sad. "So we can't have a Tara-can-fly party yet?"

"Pinkie Pie!" Rarity scolded.

"What did I say?"

I left the two ponies to argue and walked upstairs to Twilight's bedroom. "I'm sorry, Twilight," I whispered to a picture of her on her nightstand.

I noticed the clock and was surprised to see what time it was. It was almost nine o'clock—high time for the sun to have set and the moon to be shining down on Equestria. But almost immediately I remembered. Celestia and Luna had given their magic to Twilight, and Twilight had given it to me. The magic that set the sun and raised the moon was now in the necklace I was wearing.

For a moment I wondered if I could do it—if I could raise the moon instead of Princess Luna. Immediately I rejected the idea. Twilight had been embarrassed as she told me how badly she had done before—and she was an alicorn, gifted with her own magic as well as the other princesses'. I had nothing. Raising the moon on my own would be a horrible idea.

A sudden distant thunderclap from the direction of Canterlot got my attention. I looked to the horizon and absolutely panicked. Canterlot was engulfed in the same cloud that had trapped Twilight and I inside the palace earlier. Sombra's power was growing. In a matter of hours, his clouds could cover all of Equestria.

This was getting more and more discouraging every second. With the princesses' magic gone and Twilight captured by Sombra, who knew what could happen. Day and night in Equestria were in disarray. Celestia couldn't protect her subjects. Nopony else in Equestria had the magic or ability to fight Sombra on their own. And worst of all, if I couldn't save Twilight in time…

I thought of the way Sombra had lewdly examined Twilight and found myself growing angry. Quickly I tried to suppress my feelings and protect the magic in my necklace, but I couldn't help it. Twilight was my new best friend. She had given herself up for my safety. If I didn't try to save her, I was a coward.

Without telling the rest of the Mane Six, I decided to leave.

I opened the window as quietly as I could and teetered on the windowsill. Spreading my wings, I sighed. "Ok…you can do this, Tara…" Then I jumped without giving myself a chance to change my mind.

I shot toward the ground as I pumped my wings furiously. I couldn't fall.

To my amazement, I actually managed to catch myself in midair and hover. A little more flapping rose me level to the roof of Twilight's treehouse.

With a shriek of delight I started turning circles in the air. I had done it! I could fly!

With a mighty whoosh I was off to Canterlot and the sinister dark cloud. My righteous anger still bubbled inside me. I knew I had to save Twilight.

What I didn't know at the time, though, was that my anger had pulled some of the magic out of the amulet. The magic that was allowing me to fly was a product of impure rage.

Simply put, I was flying with dark magic.


	10. Chapter 10: Dungeon of Darkness

**MUCH longer chapter now! Hope you enjoy! :D Random MLP trivia piece for today: Derpy Hooves was actually a mistake on the animators' part. We first see her in the background of "Friendship is Magic: Part 1" at the big party at Twilight's house. Fans noticed the cross-eyed Pegasus and Hasbro confirmed it was an error. But fans loved the character and compared her to the Derp character, calling her Derpy or Derpy Hooves. Hasbro eventually decided to keep the cross-eyed character and even adopted the name the fans gave her. :) With that in mind, enjoy the Derpy appearance in this chapter! :D**

I realized almost immediately that flying through Equestrian skies was probably not the wisest choice. Pegasi were everywhere. I was constantly ducking behind clouds to avoid being seen.

Let me pause for a second and explain why I was taking such pains to hide. Simply put, Twilight had already discouraged me from revealing myself to everypony. Equestria may have been home to dozens of different creatures, but humans were not one of them and seeing one could be confusing or even frightening. Add the fact that this human now had wings, a ponytail, and pony ears…you get the idea.

I did a pretty good job of avoiding most of the Pegasi. But I couldn't hide from them all. As I ducked behind one cloud, I almost knocked a raisin muffin from a gray Pegasus' hooves.

"Hey!" the Pegasus exclaimed. She seemed more frustrated about almost losing the muffin than about the one who had almost made her lose it. She looked up at me with, to my surprise, slightly crossed eyes. "Don't make me drop my muffin!"

"Sorry," I apologized, truly sorry. "But Sombra is attacking Canterlot! You've got bigger problems than losing a muffin!"

The little Pegasus seemed surprised. "Sombra's back?"

"Yes, and he's captured Twilight!"

The Pegasus flew in anxious circles. "This is bad!"

"Listen, whatever your name is—"

"Derpy Hooves!"

"OK, listen, Derpy—you've got to fly around Ponyville and tell everypony that Sombra is returning. All of the alicorns' magic has been…hidden." I decided against telling her it was in my necklace. "That's why Canterlot's in that dark cloud and the sun is still up even though it should be nighttime. Tell everypony to stay inside and safe until the princesses can defeat Sombra."

Derpy looked at me cock-eyed—of course, she probably looks at everything that way. "Nopony would believe me if I told them that."

"Please try," I begged. "You could be helping to save Equestria."

Derpy nodded. "OK. Wait—take this." She reached one hoof out for my hand and handed me off the precious raisin muffin. "For Princess Twilight, when you find her."

I was so surprised and moved I accepted the muffin. "I'm sure Twilight will be pleased, Derpy. Thank you."

Derpy winked and flew towards the ground.

I tucked the muffin safely in my jacket and continued my flight towards Canterlot.

Once I arrived I got a closer look at Sombra's cloud. This wasn't a shadow cloud like what had surrounded the Crystal Empire when Cadence used her magic to keep the wicked king out. This was almost a literal cloud of what seemed to be dark magic. With each breeze the filthy fog swirled out the tiniest bit further. The movement was much slower than I had expected, but still far too fast for comfort.

I cautiously moved forward with my wings and almost was struck by a lightning bolt. I quickly drew back out of the cloud—the dark mist swirled in the currents created by my wings.

I bit my lip. "For Twilight, Tara." And in I plunged.

After a few minutes of flying through the dark cloud, my eyes adjusted and I could actually see where I was going. It was a bit like driving on a rainy day—you can see, but not far ahead, so you move with caution. I was especially careful since I really didn't know what to look for. Where would Sombra have taken his prisoner? A castle? A dungeon?

Just then I saw a very new building erected not far from the Canterlot Palace. This building was built out of brick—solid black brick, seemingly the solid form of the cloud I was now flying in.

That had to be it.

I slipped through the door (surprisingly, no locks or guards prevented me) and found myself looking at another brick wall with a barred door in the front and center. I could hear scuffling coming from inside.

I peered between the bars cautiously. What I saw made me want to grab King Sombra by the throat.

A circle of shadow ponies were kicking and punching someone in the center. I heard cries of pain and my stomach tightened.

Twilight.

Sombra leaned casually against one wall watching. After what seemed like forever he waved a hoof. "That's quite enough for now, boys."

The shadow ponies drifted toward their master. Their victim, poor Twilight, lay motionless. I just barely covered my mouth to hold back a scream.

Sombra swaggered over to the badly wounded alicorn princess. "Not so regal now, huh?" he mocked her.

Twilight weakly raised her head. One eye was blackening, both nostrils had begun to bleed, her wings were unnaturally bent, and her body was covered in bruises. The beating had obviously begun long before my arrival. She inhaled shakily. "You won't get away with this…Sombra…"

With a snort of disgust the wicked king kicked Twilight swiftly in the ribs. She cried out in pain again as her head dropped back down.

Sombra laughed darkly. "Rest assured, 'princess', I will prevail. And if you're counting on your friends, they'll never come for you."

Twilight let out what sounded like a half sob. "If you've hurt them, as Celestia is my witness—!"

"Celestia?" Sombra smirked. "Don't worry, your precious friends aren't hurt—yet. But they won't come for you. You know what you are to them, Sparkle? You're a burden. You're a know-it-all that they would never trust with the Element of Magic."

"Stop, please!" Twilight pleaded but Sombra kicked her again. "The magic of friendship is useless now. And you know why? You are why, Sparkle. You alienated your so-called friends. You lost the Elements and the alicorn magic your precious princesses entrusted to you."

I gripped my alicorn amulet tightly as Sombra continued, "You're worthless to them, Sparkle. And you're worthless to me. You are only here because I want the satisfaction of witnessing your death."

I heard Twilight crying softly.

"And to make sure you don't try anything…" Sombra stomped a hoof to summon the shadow ponies again. "Chain her up."

Twilight didn't resist as the shadow ponies chained her hoofs together and chained her further to the wall, driving an anchor in so deep I doubted the most powerful magic could have pulled it out. Finally those evil ponies left.

Sombra approached his helpless captive. "I've waited a long time for this." Using his sinister magic, he rolled poor Twilight onto her back and leered down at her.

"Please," Twilight pleaded desperately, "I'll do anything! Just please don't do this to me!"

Sombra scowled. "I'll take what I want from you."

Twilight sobbed and covered her eyes with her shackled hooves. "Just—make it quick—please!"

"I plan to enjoy myself immensely." Sombra pulled the sobbing Twilight closer to himself.

That was it. The anger welling up inside me became too much to handle. "No!" I shrieked as a powerful magic spell suddenly swept over me.

I blinked and realized I was standing over Twilight. The magic must have teleported me in my raw emotion.

Sombra drew back in surprise. "What? How?"

"Don't you dare touch her!" I had gotten over the shock of the magic and now was angry. "She's suffered enough! She doesn't deserve you!"

"Tara, you have to—" Twilight could barely speak.

I ignored her. "Get out of here, Sombra."

Sombra smirked in sinister triumph—I grew nervous. "Very well. I will not abuse 'Princess' Twilight—yet. But only because I've seen that in defending this useless alicorn, her friend has gained magic she was warned against." The cell door banged shut behind him.

I dropped to my knees beside Twilight. I wanted to say something, anything—I wanted to encourage her—but she looked so weak and helpless I could barely stand to look at her. "Twilight," was all I could whisper.

The sniffling alicorn half smiled. "Thank you, Tara. If you hadn't come…"

"Don't thank me yet, Twilight. I've got to get you out of here." I tried to pull off her shackles but they were simply too tight.

Twilight weakly shook her head. "They're made from dark magic. Only alicorn magic could undo the spell." She looked longingly at my necklace. "And we don't have access to it."

I gently cradled Twilight's head. "I'll find a way somehow." Suddenly I remembered Derpy's gift and pulled out the muffin. "Derpy gave this to me and said it was for you, when I found you."

Twilight smiled. "Sweet Derpy."

I broke off bite-size pieces of the muffin and gently fed Twilight to give her some nourishment. Running my fingers through her mane, I carefully combed out the tangles and wiped the tears and blood from her face. "I'll get you out of here."

Twilight looked up at me forlornly. "Be careful."

"I won't let Sombra catch me."

"No…I mean something else." Twilight gasped for breath. "Did you hear what Sombra said right before he left?"

"Yeah, but who cares what he said?"

"He said that when you defended me, you gained magic I had warned you about." Twilight gritted her teeth as I accidentally brushed a scratch on her face. "What he meant was your anger was impure. Part of the magic that teleported you in here was dark magic."

I froze. "Oh, Twilight, I'm so sorry…"

"I forgive you. Just please, please don't let the amulet be darkened," Twilight whispered.

I sighed. "What can I do now?"

"Get out of here before he comes back." Twilight grimaced and tried to sit up—I assisted her. She nodded thanks and added, "Find the Elements. That's all that can save me now."

"But Twilight, you ARE one of the Elements!"

"My Element will work just as well on another's head as on mine." Twilight pushed me gently with her hoof. "Go, before he comes back."

"You know what he'll do to you when he gets here. I want to protect you! That can't happen to you!"

Twilight looked deep into my eyes. I could see she felt peaceful now—a slight smile raised her lips. "I'll be safe. Some of the magic you brought with you got into me. While you demonstrated love, the pure magic that transformed you had a channel through which it could enter me." She winced and charged up her horn the tiniest bit.

I smiled. "Will that be enough?"

"Enough to give Sombra a shock if he tries anything." Twilight chuckled. "Goodbye, Tara."


	11. Chapter 11: Armonia

**Sorry for the shorter chapter this time around, guys. I wrote this and wasn't quite satisfied, so I had to work on it. Hopefully my work made it better. :) I welcome constructive feedback! Please continue to review and thank you for reading! :D**

But leaving the dungeon was much easier said than done. I had teleported in; that seemed to be my only way out as well.

"You got in here by focusing on anger," Twilight whispered. "Get out by focusing on light and love." She winced at her pain.

"But I can't. Not with you like this."

Twilight considered this. "Then focus on this song." Quietly she began to sing.

"Whoa-oh-ooh, I got the music in me, whoa-oh-ooh; don't need to hear a crowd cheering out my name…"

I knew the song. Twilight had told me about how the human counterpart to Fluttershy had written it and how she used it as the counter-spell against the sirens. Of course, it was written as a soft rock song, but the way Twilight sang it now made it as soothing and gentle as a lullaby. I focused on the lyrics and on how much love they contained. As I did, I felt the alicorn magic flowing through me in electric tingles again.

I opened my eyes to find myself back in Twilight's treehouse bedroom. I blinked in surprise. Had I left at all? Yes, the window was still open.

I sat down and folded my wings over my arms, shaken. At least I knew where Twilight was. The other princesses, however, were a pony of a different color. I had to find all of them to save Equestria.

"Find the Elements." Twilight's words echoed in my mind.

I peeked over the edge and realized the Mane Six's remaining members had left. They must have gone looking when they saw I had gone. The five of them bore five of the Elements—honesty, loyalty, laughter, generosity, kindness. That left magic. Who in all of Equestria was worthy of bearing that Element besides Twilight herself?

I didn't know.

Suddenly I remembered the book that I found in the Canterlot Palace library. What had been its title? I tried hard to remember.

Suddenly I did. It had been called "Future".

Hoping that somehow, some way Twilight had a copy, I dashed down the stairs and began scouring the shelves. To my immense relief, I found the book—but not after I had dumped almost the entire contents of Twilight's library on the floor. I made a mental note to clean it up later (when the fate of Equestria wasn't hanging in the balance anymore) and sat down to study the book.

I was surprised to discover that there was actually much more known about this future alicorn than Twilight had had time to tell me. Starswirl the Bearded had only had a few moments in the future, but he had learned much.

The alicorn's cutie mark proved to be truly revealing. It signified all six Elements of Harmony working together and multiplying their magic. The broken sword signified peace—the ultimate form of harmony. Her special talent must have been bringing all the Elements together for their ultimate use.

I froze in suspense, however, when I saw what came next.

According to the book, this alicorn had a special connection with the unknown seventh Element of Harmony. It was known to the ponies as "Armonia", meaning "harmony".

What was her connection? Not even Starswirl the Bearded had known. But the seventh Element, from what I read, was the most powerful of all. Why? Simply put, it was the fulfillment of all the other six. It carried within itself all of their combined magic and more.

Most amazing of all, Armonia—if that was indeed the Element's name—was fully capable of performing magic-of-friendship spells all on its own. Whoever had Armonia ruled Equestria—its magic was more powerful than the six combined.

I got more and more excited. If I could find the one destined to become this alicorn, I could find the seventh Element of Harmony. Equestria would be saved!

I looked down at my necklace and studied the intricately carved alicorn—this mysterious prophesied one whom nopony knew or had seen. She had to be the one.

I didn't know where to start looking, or even what I was looking for. But I did know I had to find this lucky pony destined to be the fifth and final alicorn princess.

And I had to find her fast.


	12. Chapter 12: The Theory

**Two chapters in one evening! :D Enjoy, guys! I'm in a hurry to post this so I can finish watching the MLP episode on the other tab I have open right now. :P**

Right about that time I heard hooves stamping through the door. I looked up and was almost knocked over by an obviously hug-starved Pinkie Pie. "YAY! We found you!"

The rest of the Mane Six, directly behind her, did not look nearly as happy to see me.

"Where in Equestria were you?!" Rainbow Dash demanded.

Applejack looked ready to buck me in the face. "Do you have any idea how scared we were?"

"I found Twilight," I said stolidly as I tried to free myself from Pinkie's death grip.

Immediately I had those ponies' undivided attention. They swarmed me. "Where?" "Is she all right?" "What happened to her?"

I held up my hands and they quieted down. Briefly I explained what had happened. "Didn't you see Derpy trying to warn everypony?" I asked in confusion.

Rarity sniffed disdainfully. "She said something about an angel wearing an alicorn necklace warning her about King Sombra coming back…nopony believed her, of course. Where in Equestria could there possibly be an angel…wearing an alicorn necklace…" Rarity's voice trailed off as I unfurled my wings, flipped my necklace, and glared at her. "Oh…yes indeed…"

"But what can we do now?" Fluttershy asked quietly.

"We've got to find whoever's destined to be the fifth alicorn." I touched my necklace. "Only she could bear this much magic. Only she can possibly be capable of saving Equestria."

Then it hit me. "I've got it!" I cried in excitement.

Rarity glowered. "This had better be worthwhile after we spent hours turning Ponyville upside down to find you."

"No, seriously! The prophecies say that the fifth alicorn was not born with her alicorn features. We know it can't be one of the current princesses because they're all present alongside the fifth alicorn. The new one has to be another kind of Equestrian creature—one nopony would expect to be the one."

"What exactly are you sayin'?" Applejack asked.

"Think about it! What Equestrian creatures carry the most magic inside, but are not alicorns or even ponies?"

The others looked at each other, then back at me and shrugged their hooves.

"You really don't know?!" I couldn't believe it.

"Why don't you just tell us, darling?" Rarity suggested.

"Sirens! They're some of the most magically gifted creatures in all of Equestria. Even Twilight had trouble defeating them when they were banished to my world, where Equestrian magic is weaker. They aren't ponies and they certainly don't have alicorn features or alicorn magic."

The Mane Six just looked at me for a second. Then all of them burst out laughing so hard I thought they were going to burst.

"Seriously?" Rainbow gasped. "You think the prophesied alicorn is a—a SIREN?!" She fell onto her back and guffawed beyond belief.

"You can stop now," I grumbled.

Applejack finally wiped the tears from her eyes. "Well, we certainly don't think it's a siren. What else is in that there book, T'ara?" Again she said my name like "tiara".

"That's all that I could find about the fifth alicorn princess." I sighed. "But if she's not a siren…who else could she be?"

"Twilight would know." Fluttershy looked mournfully at the floor.

"If we save Twilight, can she help us find the fifth alicorn?" Rainbow wondered aloud.

"I think the prophesied alicorn is the only one capable of saving Twilight at this point. She's chained up with King Sombra's magic. Only alicorn magic can undo the spell. And all the alicorn magic in Equestria is right here." I tugged anxiously on my amulet. "What's more, only an alicorn with magic in her can get the magic in or out of this amulet. Right now all four princesses have given up their magic. It's sealed in here till we find the fifth."

"But how will we know when we find her?" Applejack pointed out.

I smiled peacefully. "We'll know."


	13. Chapter 13: Who or What

**Exposition chapter. Sorry for the lack of action here. It will pick up shortly; just had to talk a little more about the prophecies first.**

Two o'clock a.m. Without Luna to raise the moon, the sun still blazed in the sky. Soon it would be so late in the morning I wouldn't need to worry about raising the sun. And still we were no closer to finding the fifth alicorn—or the one destined to become her.

We had been up all night—or what would have been night. None of us had slept. We were all exhausted and in horrible moods. To make matters worse, my theory about the sirens was apparently wrong. We had asked around and discovered that only three sirens had been known to live in Equestria, ever. Their names had been Sonata, Aria, and Adagio—at least until Starswirl the Bearded had banished them to an alternate world.

I had actually seen these three sirens-turned-human-girls in Canterlot High School before, about two or three years after the events of the stories Sunset Shimmer used to tell. The girls had been withdrawn, speaking little, but obviously harboring fury under quiet facades. Their magic was long gone for sure. If those three were the only sirens Equestria had ever known, I was wrong. The alicorn couldn't be a transformed siren.

I finally put words to these feelings as the rest of the exhausted Mane Six sat down to rest. "But where else can we look?" I asked no one in particular.

"We could look in Sugarcube Corner!" Pinkie Pie squeaked.

"Pinkie Pie, you ALWAYS say that," complained Rainbow Dash.

Pinkie stuck out her bottom lip in a fake pout. "But that's the best place in Equestria when you need a sugar rush!"

"You're the one pony who never needs a sugar rush," Applejack murmured and rolled her eyes.

"That's not helping, everypony!" I interrupted. "I thought you could help me find the one destined to fulfill this prophecy!"

"We didn't even learn about it ourselves until Twilight told us," Rarity reminded me. "And even the alicorns' knowledge of what exactly it means is limited."

"But maybe we don't need the alicorn," Fluttershy ventured hesitantly.

Rainbow Dash looked at her in shock. "What are you, nuts?"

"No, continue," I urged the shy Pegasus.

Fluttershy hesitantly continued, "You said the seventh Element is called Armonia—'harmony'. Twilight said that the Element of Magic works just as well with someone else as with her. Maybe Armonia can work on one of us?"

"Maybe, but we have to find it first." I sighed and covered my face with my hands. "And right now I just want to sleep for a week."

"I'm all for that!" Rainbow curled up on a tree branch.

As the other ponies followed her lead, I longed for the book "Future". There had to be something in there. Starswirl the Bearded had to have seen something that told him who this alicorn would be!

I thought back to my time in the library with Twilight. She had said the spell she used on the amulet contained prophecy too.

Maybe it could tell me something?

I closed my eyes and tried hard to remember. As I replayed that time mentally, again and again, I could almost hear Twilight chanting.

"Oh alicorn of gemstone made,

This I command of thee today.

Bear the magic of the land,

Place the power in her hand.

The Element inside is strong,

For she has borne it all along.

And if she be worthy of thy flame,

Give her hooves and a new name,

Wings to fly, a magic horn,

And let rise a new alicorn.

And if she wear thee out and in,

Then shall the spell ne'er be broken.

This magic I seal thee within."

I traced my finger in the dirt and wrote out the spell before sitting back on my heels to study it. " 'If she be worthy…' " I mused. Seemed like the alicorn had to prove herself before her transformation.

" 'Give her hooves and a new name…' " Whoever this was certainly did not start as an alicorn. Her identity totally changed.

" 'And if she wear thee out and in…' " The transformation spell worked only as long as the magical amulet was still present. Without it, the alicorn would likely lose her magical form and once again become whatever she had been before.

" 'The Element inside is strong,/For she has borne it all along'…OH MY GOSH!" I shrieked.

The ponies around me awoke instantly.

"I've got it this time!" I screamed in ecstasy.

"Isn't that exactly what you said when you were convinced the alicorn was a siren?" Rarity remarked dryly.

"Armonia is the seventh Element of Harmony, right? And the seventh Element is connected with the fifth alicorn princess, right? The spell says 'the Element inside is strong'."

They all looked at me blankly.

"Don't you get it?! The Element INSIDE! The fifth alicorn princess IS Armonia!"


	14. Chapter 14: Back to Canterlot

"Are you positive?" Rarity questioned.

"Yes!" I paced back and forth. "Oh, if I could only talk to Princess Celestia about the prophecy!"

Just then the sky darkened. I glanced up half-hoping that maybe Luna had found enough magic to somehow raise the moon.

No such luck.

The dark cloud over Canterlot was beginning to spread. Sombra must have absorbed more magic. His power was only growing.

A strong wind pushed the dark clouds further and further out; thunder rumbled and lightning raked trees in the distance. The dark magic was spreading.

I felt rage swelling up inside me and panicked. Quickly I breathed in and out and counted to ten till I could feel my heart slowing down. After what had happened before, I couldn't let dark magic control me again. But I had to find a way to use the pure alicorn magic without contaminating it. If I could keep the necklace's magic safe, I could surrender its power to the fifth princess when we found her.

If not…

I pushed the thought from my mind. "Come on, girls!"

"Where exactly are we comin'-on to?" Applejack asked skeptically.

I thought about how best to explain it. "Well…we're going to Canterlot…to the dungeon where Sombra's got Twilight locked up."

"Are. You. CRAZY?!" Pinkie demanded in my face.

Rainbow pulled the pink pony away from me. "I'm with Pinkie on this one, Tara."

"Are. You. Crazy. TOO?!" Pinkie screamed at Rainbow Dash.

Dashie backed away slowly. "I'm agreeing with you!"

"Yeah, and how many times have you done THAT?!"

"Just listen!" I pleaded. "Twilight bears the Element of Magic. You all have the other five Elements. I've heard what incredible things happen when all the Elements are used together. Maybe if the six are united again, the seventh—and the alicorn who wields it—will be revealed."

"Yes, or we could all end up in dungeons like poor Twilight!" Rarity snapped.

"This could be our chance to save her!"

Applejack motioned to me with her hoof and I stepped aside with her. The orange Earth pony glanced around to be sure no one was eavesdropping. "Listen here, T'ara," she sighed, "I wanna save Twilight and the other princesses as much as you do. But goin' back to Canterlot seems…dangerous."

I sighed. "Applejack, I didn't want to say anything, but I guess I should to tell you how important this really is. I heard Sombra's plans for Twilight. He's already tortured her, and he wants to…rape her."

Applejack seemed genuinely confused. "I don't know what the hay that word means, but it sure don't sound good. What do you mean exactly?"

I blushed. Maybe only certain ponies knew the word. How could I explain tastefully?

"It's the worst form of torture a mare can ever experience," I finally decided to say. "But at least we know that whatever happens, Twilight will live. She's an alicorn now, and alicorns live forever."

Applejack sighed. "Not exactly. Alicorns don't die of natural causes like gettin' sick n' all. But physical wounds can kill an alicorn just like anypony else."

Uh-oh.

"You've got to help me convince the others!" I begged her. "You're the Element of Honesty. They'll listen to you!"

"Just give me a minute with them alone."

I don't know what she said, but I do know that within five minutes we were headed for Canterlot. The Pegasus ponies and I each carried one of the others, who couldn't fly. (I was still in my anthro form, so I still had wings, along with pony ears and ponytail.) Dash took Rarity and Fluttershy took Applejack. That left me carrying Pinkie Pie.

I will never do that again.

"So Tara, what should I call it? Chimicherry or cherrychanga? Chimicherry or cherrychanga? Oh! Or I could add kumquats to it! And pickles! Pickle barrel kumquat! Pickle barrel kumquat!"

"Somepony wanna give me a hoof over here?" I groaned when Pinkie finally stopped to take a breath.

All I heard in reply were giggles.

We couldn't have flown longer than a couple of minutes, but it felt like hours with me carrying a broken record machine named Pinkie Pie. But soon enough I felt justified in wrapping a hand around Pinkie's muzzle.

We were approaching Canterlot.


	15. Chapter 15: When Darkness Falls

**Sorry for the delay...seems like nobody read the previous chapter. :/ Oh well...enjoy this much longer one! :D Please review and follow for more!**

"OK, everypony stay close! I know this place in darkness best," I ordered.

No one argued. Even Pinkie Pie stayed quiet. (And for Pinkie Pie, that's nothing short of miraculous.) I maneuvered my way carefully through the dark streets.

Finally we came into view of the prison where I had initially found Twilight. I lowered myself carefully to the ground and set Pinkie Pie down. As the Pegasi imitated me, I drew everypony's attention to myself. "Twilight's in there. When I came there were no guards or locks on the door, but there may be now. But regardless, we have to find Twilight and get her to participate in the magic of friendship spell. The Elements may work on someone other than their bearers, but I doubt they would reveal the final alicorn princess unless they were on their proper owners." I sighed and looked down. "Sombra has Twilight in chains made of dark magic. Only alicorn magic can save her. Do you understand why this is so important?"

The Mane Six nodded gravely.

"Good. I—" I stopped and glanced around. "Where's Pinkie?"

A black shape with an unmistakable neon pink mane sneaked up behind Rarity and squeaked "Boo!" The unicorn jumped into the air with a yelp of surprise as the ninja pony half trotted, half crawled up to me.

"Like my disguise, Tara?" whispered the voice of the unmistakable Pinkie Pie.

"No," I answered in disgust, "and I doubt Twilight will either."

Pinkie peeled it off like a banana skin. "Awww…"

"She's been in a prison full of dark magic! I think the last thing she'll want is more darkness."

"But everypony loves ninja costumes!" Pinkie protested.

"Shh," everypony else hissed at her.

We moved as a silent group toward the prison, cautious, not knowing what we would find. But as we drew closer I felt my heart sink into my feet.

At least half a dozen shadow ponies were guarding the entrance from the outside. Who knew if there were more waiting in the dungeon's shadows?

I silently pointed this out to the other ponies. Applejack tapped her chest with a hoof as if to say, "Leave it to me." She lifted her hat and revealed a coil of rope (why she carried that around is beyond me). With expert dexterity, she tied the rope into a long lasso and twirled it over her head. Once it had reached high speed, she let fly at the shadow ponies.

I guess I shouldn't have been surprised to see the lasso go right through products of dark magic, but I was still taken aback. Applejack reacted similarly. All her attempted attack seemed to do was infuriate them.

As Fluttershy cowered in a dark corner, Rainbow Dash grabbed me by the arm. "Come on! Fly with me and distract them!"

Realizing her plan, I immediately spread my wings and flew around with her above the shadow ponies. Rainbow stuck out her tongue at the guards. "Come and get me, you overgrown rainclouds!"

Granted, I didn't imitate THAT. But our distraction seemed to work. The shadow ponies followed us, growling in fury. One of them suddenly swept a hoof up at us—a hoof that ended in very long, very sharp claws.

I gulped. "You sure about this, Rainbow Dash?!"

Suddenly a surprisingly bright light appeared on the street below. The shadow ponies howled as if in pain as the light hit them. And then they just—dissolved. I don't know how else to describe it. It was like seeing an Alka Seltzer dropped into a glass of water. One minute they were there…the next they were gone in puffs of smoky mist.

I looked down to see that the light that had dissolved them came from the horn of a shocked Rarity. "What—how in Equestria—?!"

"Don't try to understand it, just enjoy it!" I shouted and quickly landed on the street again. "We've got to get in there."

Applejack frowned at the lock. "The lock don't look to be enchanted or nothin'. I reckon I can open it with a bit o' gum."

"No problemo!" Pinkie appeared with a stick of hot pink gum in her hoof. "I have gum stashed all over Canterlot—"

" 'In case of gum-related emergency'," the rest finished in perfect unison.

Pinkie's jaw dropped in surprise but before she could ask questions, Applejack had swiped the gum and was rapidly chewing it. After a few goods chomps she spat it into the lock and manipulated it with her hooves.

"Ew…" Rarity recoiled in disgust while the rest of us watched in interest.

Soon the orange Earth pony stood back proudly as the door opened. Everypony scampered to get inside but I stopped them. "Listen. Twilight isn't doing well. We've got to be sensitive to her."

But once we got into the cell, I realized "not doing well" was the understatement of the century.

Twilight lay motionless on her side, still trussed up in chains that glowed a slight ghostly green with dark magic. I couldn't hold back tears as I looked at her. Sombra may not have had his way with her—at least not yet (though I hoped he would never get the chance)—but he had certainly beaten her horribly. She looked much worse than she had when I first found her in the dungeon.

Her friends were stunned and horrified. Meanwhile I couldn't stop crying. I knelt beside her and cradled her bruised head in my arms. "Twilight," I whispered into her limp ear.

She opened her eyes with an effort and raised one ear. Her eyes seemed so devoid of hope a new sob ripped through me. But when she recognized me a spark of light seemed to ignite in her eyes. "Tara…"

Her Ponyville friends immediately surrounded us. All were talking and crying at once. It was probably a bit chaotic, but the chaos seemed to make Twilight smile. Her friends were here for her. She didn't need to be afraid anymore.

After allowing a few minutes for reuniting, I explained the plan to Twilight. "We've got all six Elements here. I even brought your crown." I gently placed the crown on Twilight's brow; she winced as it touched an open wound. "Sorry," I apologized.

"But why…why bring them all…here?" Twilight glanced around the dismal cell.

"If all six Elements are present, maybe the whole rainbows-magic powers thing can show us the final alicorn princess and the seventh Element—even if they are one and the same."

Twilight looked at me questioningly. "The last part of the spell," I reminded her. " 'The Element inside is strong,/For she has borne it all along'. The Element INSIDE the final princess."

Twilight managed a tiny smile. "I'm glad you heard that spell, Tara." She glanced up at her crown. "I'll do my best."

"Here, lean on me," I offered and helped her stand as I continued kneeling by her.

Because of her wounds and her shackles, Twilight was understandably unsteady on her hooves, but she managed to lean on me and remain upright.

As the six ponies summoned their talents, the Elements in their necklaces began to glow—then magic radiated from them in succession. A long ribbon-like rainbow began in Rainbow Dash's necklace and passed through each of the others' until it reached Twilight. She gritted her teeth and kept her eyes clenched shut as the rainbow wound itself around her and intersected the gemstone in her crown. A cry of agonizing pain escaped her as the magic increased.

I held my breath. This couldn't fail!

Abruptly the rainbow vanished.

The other Elements ceased their magic and the ponies looked at each other in shock. Twilight slumped against me, tears running down her cheeks and mingling with her own blood. "I'm sorry," she groaned. "I—my magic—it was too much—I'm sorry!"

"You did your best, Twilight," Applejack tried to encourage her friend.

"But it still failed," Twilight wept.

Suddenly a long, low groan echoed through the cell. Twilight froze in terror. "King Sombra," she whispered. "Everypony get out of here, now!"

But before we could make a move, tentacles of dark magic whipped through the dungeon. We all bolted in panic but those tentacles moved quickly. I felt some closing around my ankle. With a shriek of panic I yanked myself free and somehow managed to teleport out of the dungeon.

But the remaining Mane Five weren't nearly as fortunate. I heard iron rattle against iron as the tentacles of dark magic that had trapped them condensed into chains.

"Tara! Help us!" I heard Rainbow Dash screaming.

I choked on tears. Trying to force myself to reply, I only succeeded in moaning.

The truth was, I was too terrified to go back. The others had placed so much confidence in me. After all, I was carrying all of Equestria's alicorn magic. Hadn't some of it even turned me part pony? Hadn't I been able to use small amounts of the magic? Hadn't I been the one who found Twilight? Didn't I understand the prophecy?

But I knew better. I was just a scared teenage girl who didn't know the first thing about Equestria or its magic.

I ran through the dark mist-covered streets of Canterlot and collapsed sobbing against an alley wall. Why me? Why had I been the one to create such a horrible situation for Twilight and the other princesses?

Dark laughter got my attention. Wiping my tears, I looked up and found myself face to horn with King Sombra himself in his shadow form.

I looked down and closed my eyes. "Go ahead. Do your worst."

Changing into his normal unicorn form, Sombra chuckled darkly. "Why? What haven't you done already?"

"What are you talking about?!"

"You are the one who is distorting the magic in your necklace," Sombra scoffed. At my shocked expression he laughed. "Yes, I know. Twilight told me about hiding the magic in there to try and make me feel defeated. Clearly she failed miserably." He walked slowly around me. "I could turn you into a minion of mine in the blink of an eye if I desired. But why bother? Your own anger and fear is producing more dark magic inside you than I had ever dreamed of putting in the new alicorn princess." And in a brief burst of dark magic, he was gone.


	16. Chapter 16: Escape

**Sorry for the shorter chapter this time around, guys...if anyone's still reading this. *Sigh* Seriously, it's a little discouraging to see no new reviews. I appreciate the new follows and favs, but reviews let me know someone actually likes this story enough to say something. :/ So I've said it before and I'll say it again-PLEASE review! You have no idea how inspirational that is! ;) Anyway, enjoy the new chapter! :D**

I stood there shocked. Twilight had warned me about the dark magic my rage was producing. But to hear it from Sombra…

I knew there was only one thing to do.

My emotions had to be used to produce pure magic—the magic that could reveal the fifth princess.

I drew my arms in close to myself and concentrated. At first I conjured up an image of Twilight but quickly realized that remembering her only increased my righteous anger over her wounds. (Not that righteous anger is wrong, but even righteous fury could become impure rage quickly and produce yet more dark magic.) Instead I focused on memories of the wonderful village of Ponyville that I had entered. I remembered the slumber party with the Mane Six. I laughed as I remembered Rarity trying to figure out how to give me a "hooficure" (made difficult because I lacked hooves). I remembered Pinkie making me a tray of frosted fluffy cupcakes. Applejack racing me in circles around the library. Fluttershy teaching me to sing popular Equestrian songs. Rainbow Dash performing flying tricks for our pleasure. Twilight with her quill and the slumber party fun checklist.

Opening one eye, I glanced down at the amulet. To my joy, a soft golden glow was forming inside the necklace and preparing to spread out.

"Keep concentrating," I told myself and refocused on the pleasant memories. Even through my closed eyes I could tell the glow was increasing.

SCREECH!

I opened my eyes and hit the ground just in time to avoid being dive-bombed by what seemed to be a black hawk. He was made from the same smoke-like material the shadow ponies had been. But unlike them, he didn't seem afraid of the light coming from my necklace.

Panicking, I pulled back further into the shadows to hide. But I hadn't realized that a creature born of the night sees perfectly in darkness.

Besides, wearing a glowing alicorn necklace has a way of making someone stand out in darkness.

An instant later I felt smoky feathers brushing my cheeks. With a shriek of horror I ran back into the street and spread my wings to fly. I had to escape.

But to my horror, the dark magic that had overtaken Canterlot was so prevalent, so powerful, and so utterly HEAVY that my wings were almost useless. It was like trying to swim with two waterlogged mattresses attached to my arms. Like it or not, I was trapped.

My panic increased; suddenly I felt physically weaker. A glance at my necklace told me its light—and its magic—was drawing back inside it.

"NO!" I screamed in half terror, half anger. "Don't! I've got to get out of here! I need the magic! NO!"

As my emotions ran rampant I felt my pony anthro strength returning. With an enormous effort, I pumped my incredibly heavy wings as hard as I could and realized I was levitating about an inch off the ground. The harder I pumped my wings, to my amazement, the lighter they seemed to become. Soon I was soaring triumphantly through the darkened sky, laughing. The hawk that had been attacking me suddenly cowered in fear and fled.

Puzzled by this but not stopping to figure it out, I flew as fast as I could out of that sinister dark cloud and back into the light of day. I was furious now. All I could think of was how much I hated King Sombra, how much I wanted revenge for what he had done to the Mane Six (especially Twilight), how much I wanted to find the fifth alicorn princess and watch her dive at him as terror filled his dark eyes—

What was I thinking?!

I slapped myself. "Snap out of it, Tara!" I scolded aloud. I had already wielded enough dark magic.

Suddenly a soft rumbling sound from the necklace worried me even more. The necklace was sparking with magic—but not alicorn magic.

This magic took the form of tiny black-purple bolts of lightning that snaked around and around the body of the fifth princess.

"Oh no…"

I quickly began singing that song Twilight had taught me and soon the necklace returned to normal. But now I was desperate. Every time my emotions got out of hand, more of the alicorn magic took the form of dark magic.

I was in control of the most powerful thing in Equestria.

I couldn't abuse it.


	17. Chapter 17: The Princess' Wisdom

**Enjoy the next chapter! :) **

**BTW Majestic Wren pointed something out to me and I need to explain her point. She mentioned in the MLP episode "Magic Duel", Trixie repeatedly refers to her necklace as "the alicorn amulet" (even though it's just a gemstone) and its magic corrupts her. I just wanted to make sure everypony ( :P ) reading this knows that Tara's necklace, though it may go by the same name sometimes, is a COMPLETELY different necklace with completely different magical properties. Remember, it wasn't magic until Twilight made it so. ****J**

I longed to speak to the princesses about what was happening, but I knew that effort was hopeless. They were probably hiding somewhere if Sombra hadn't captured them. And even if they were unharmed, their magic was gone. What could they do now?

As I forced myself to calm, something warm began flowing through my abdomen. I glanced at the necklace again and realized that my willpower to be peaceful was causing more of the alicorn magic to flow—and it was going into me.

The comforting warmth spread through my body, tingling in my fingers and toes, moving my locks in a soft breeze. And then I heard a voice. "Tara?"

It sounded exactly like Cadence.

Startled, I looked around myself but I was alone. Now I was nervous. "Princess Cadence?" I asked hesitantly.

"You can hear me?" She sounded surprised too.

"Yes, but…how? Oh—it must be the magic in my necklace!"

"The what?"

I'd forgotten Cadence didn't know about the amulet. "Twilight put all her magic into a carved alicorn that she gave to me as a necklace. She sent me off to keep the magic safe. Sombra captured her."

"Oh no!" Cadence exclaimed. "I guess the only reason he hasn't captured us is we got out of Canterlot quickly. But…but how are you talking to me if all the alicorn magic, including mine, is in that necklace of yours?"

"I was just thinking of how much I wanted to talk to the other princesses, and…the magic just flowed into me…then I heard you talking."

"The alicorn magic obeys your wishes?!" Cadence seemed surprised and hopeful at the same time.

Then another voice joined the conversation. "It sounds as though you have a great responsibility, Tara."

"Princess Luna?"

"Dear Tara," replied a voice that could only have been Celestia herself, "my sister is correct. You have an incredible responsibility on your shoulders. But you also have an incredible honor. Only one in all of Equestrian history will ever bear as much magic as you now do."

"The fifth princess," I murmured and looked down shamefully. "I know, Your Highness. I want to look for her but—" I bit my lip to keep from crying. "I'm contaminating the magic. Twilight told me anger could produce dark magic but I never knew it could distort pure magic too. I can't give the final princess damaged merchandise."

"You misunderstand," Luna cut in. "Anypony else would have destroyed or lost all of the magic by now and not realized it. But you have not."

"You've kept our magic and Twilight's safe from King Sombra!" Cadence added encouragingly.

"But I couldn't keep it safe from me!" I groaned.

"Tara," Luna said gently, "surely you heard the stories about me becoming Nightmare Moon?"

"Of course, Your Highness."

"Where do you suppose the magic that transformed me came from?" Luna asked. "It came from my rage and jealousy. I didn't understand why everypony slept through my beautiful night, so I rebelled. My actions cost me a thousand years in lunar banishment. That is all behind me now. But your anger is no different. Alicorn magic is a powerful thing, Tara. The one who wields it can use it for great good or for great evil."

"But I'm allowing myself to use it for evil," I protested. "Princess Luna, I—I don't know what to think."

"I think you're being too hard on yourself!" Cadence said in what was almost a scolding tone (though even a scolding tone is gentle coming from her). "You KNOW what you're doing to the magic and you want it to stop!"

"What good does that do?" I mumbled.

Celestia spoke now. "It shows that your heart's desire is for peace and harmony throughout all of Equestria. You desire Armonia. Your whole being longs for nothing but Armonia to appear."

"You're definitely right there, Your Highness." I stared into the dark clouds swirling ever further over Equestria. "The princess could be anywhere. What should I do? How can I find her?"

"You do not know?" Celestia seemed genuinely surprised.

"Let me tell her," Cadence requested. "Tara…you understand Equestrian magic. You have kept the alicorn magic safe from harm from King Sombra. In the time you've been here, you've manifested all of the Elements' traits and more. But most of all, you've shown your desire for peace across all of Equestria—peace and harmony—Armonia."

"What are you trying to tell me?"

"You are Armonia."

**All of you who suspected Tara was the fifth alicorn seem to be right! :P But now...will the magic transform her? O-o **

**For all my readers: I already asked one reviewer through a PM but now I'll ask all of you. I need to get Tara back into the dungeon with the Mane Six without getting captured. Bear in mind that Sombra's watching so sneaking in could be hard. Any ideas? PM me or write a review if you have a suggestion, I'm open. ****J**


	18. Chapter 18: Angel of Darkness

**Thanks to all of my readers who gave me such great ideas for Tara to infiltrate the dungeon! I've decided on a specific way to do it, based on several suggestions that I received. I've combined them into one (yes, I did this and it will still make sense :P ). I'd give individual credit for the ideas I used but several users gave me very similar suggestions or suggestions that I slightly changed, so I won't. But if you recognize an idea you gave me, you know who you are. :) Anyway, enjoy this chapter! :D Sorry it's a bit short. The next one will be longer! ;D**

I thought I was going to have a heart attack. "WHAT?!"

"You are the fifth alicorn princess destined to defeat King Sombra," Celestia added somberly.

"But I—I'm not even a pony—I—I—WHAT?!"

"It was foretold that the fifth princess would not be a pony," Luna reminded me.

"Well yeah, but still—!"

"Tara," Cadence pleaded, "now that you know, you have to do something. We princesses gave up all our magic and now you have it. You've got to find a way to stop Sombra."

"But how?!"

"Haven't you used the magic before?" Celestia pointed out.

"But those were flukes, Your Highness! I doubt I could do anything like that again if I intentionally tried to!"

"Armonia controls her magic," Celestia answered in a slightly graver tone. "She does not let her fear of her own powers control her."

"You are the final princess." It was Luna now. "No darkness can stand against your magic unless you let it."

" 'Unless I let it' ? Princess Luna, what do you mean?"

"Don't give up!" Cadence cried as her voice began to fade away.

"Face your fears!" Luna called. Her voice was also fading.

"Fight!" Celestia ordered.

"Wait! Your Highnesses! I don't even know where you're hiding! Wait, please!"

But it was no use. The alicorn magic had ceased. All was silent again.

I slowly lowered myself to the ground and folded in my wings. Had I been dreaming?

Was I really the final alicorn?

I closed my eyes and sighed. "Well, three of the princesses who definitely know more about Starswirl the Bearded than me can't be wrong. But now what do I do?"

"No darkness can stand against your magic unless you let it." Luna's words echoed through my mind.

"Unless I let it…" Suddenly I had a plan. Obviously I had been letting my own anger and fear control me and produce dark magic. But I knew that everypony in Equestria was capable of producing dark magic—even the princesses—and successfully controlling it just long enough to accomplish a specific goal. My heart trembled at the thought of imitating them, but…

Maybe the way to defeat Sombra was to use his own magic against him.

Or…maybe not. Using dark magic had never worked well before.

On the other hoof…

Oh no, not again! I was thinking in terms of pony-speak! I banged my fist against my forehead in frustration.

Then I remembered that if I was indeed the final alicorn, thinking in pony-speak was perfectly normal.

"Augh! Why can't I think straight?!" I growled and pulled at my hair. "OK, Tara, focus…" I breathed. "Okay."

That was my typical thought process.

Finally I had settled on a plan—one that I sure hoped would work.

I thought back to when the necklace's magic had turned me anthro—given me wings, ears, and a tail. Maybe I could do that again, but instead of just adding on new features, totally change my appearance?

I thought about how badly I wanted to do this to save the Mane Six and defeat Sombra. And as I did, I felt the necklace's magic flowing again. But this time it didn't flow THROUGH me, but AROUND me. It was only changing my appearance, not altering or affecting my internal nature.

My beautiful, shimmering alicorn wings (for I knew that was what they were now) turned black as if with decay. My shoulder-length reddish-brown hair extended into long, tangling locks of greasy black. My T-shirt, jacket, and jeans (all I had worn since I came to Equestria) transformed into a skin-tight, curve-hugging suit that reached to my wrists and ankles. Shades of blood red accented the utter blackness of my disguise. Only the alicorn necklace—which I quickly hid under my new disguise—betrayed my true nature.

I am eternally grateful I did not see a reflection of myself at that moment. I would have been horrified at my transformation—intentional, at that!—into an angel of darkness. As it was I was still afraid. "It's temporary," I told myself. "Just so I'll blend in. Sombra will hopefully think I've infected myself with dark magic. Then I can get into the dungeon and save Twilight and the others."

Had I known what would happen, I don't know if I would have gone through with my plan.

**Dun-dun-DUUUUUUUNNN! XD MLP trivia bit for today: Sombra's name means "shadow" in Spanish. Obviously if you know the story of King Sombra and the Crystal Empire, you'll understand the reference in his name. :P**


	19. Chapter 19: Clever Capture

**Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter up. Wanted to be sure it was perfect. Still not quite satisfied with it. Tell me what you think. :)**

I cautiously moved into Sombra's cloud with my newly transformed wings. To my amazement, I discovered I could now see perfectly in the darkness. But almost immediately this new development worried me. Only creatures born of evil and dark magic can see perfectly in the night.

Had my transformation affected more than just my appearance?

Pushing the thought from my mind, I flew through the darkened Canterlot streets toward the palace—and the newly erected dungeon. Nothing could stop me now.

Suddenly a pair of shadow ponies with wings—I hesitate to call them "Pegasi"—appeared before me rather menacingly. I braced myself for a fight but they passed me without a second glance. I was indescribably relieved. If my disguise had fooled them, maybe I could fool even King Sombra himself.

But I wasn't taking any chances.

Fortunately, I managed to keep out of sight of anyone else until I was nearly at the dungeon. Flapping my decaying wings, I mentally prepped myself for what I would find inside. I had no idea what Sombra had done now that all of the Mane Six were his prisoners. I knew Twilight was horribly wounded, but maybe the others hadn't been hurt…yet. Or maybe I would walk in on the most horrific sight I would ever see.

But when I looked beyond the dungeon to the palace, I realized whatever I would find was not the worst thing I would ever see.

My own reflection in the palace window was.

I knew the alicorn magic was effective in changing my appearance. But I hadn't known I would look that horrifying.

As I stared at my reflection I had a flashback to my childhood. When I was five, my big sister had had a slumber party with her girlfriends and they had watched a horror film. Mom had made them wait until I was supposed to be in bed so I wouldn't see it. However, the always-sneaky me had tiptoed down the hall in my little footie pajamas and watched from the top of the stairs. The movie was about a group of teenagers who are stalked and picked off one by one by a horrifyingly awful she-demon. I had been terrified but riveted and stayed till the movie finished. Afterwards, I hadn't slept for weeks.

I realized as I stared at my reflection, I had become the spitting image (minus the pony ears and tail) of the she-demon in the movie.

"Calm yourself, control yourself!" my heart screamed silently as I stared in horror at my reflection. "That isn't who you are!" But I couldn't stand to see myself—the alicorn foretold by Starswirl the Bearded—masquerading as an angel of darkness.

With an otherworldly shriek, I dropped to my knees, clutching at my scalp and its velvety pony ears, shaking uncontrollably. As my emotions climaxed I felt the alicorn magic transforming me a second time. My disguise vanished and I turned back into the anthro Tara I had remained for hours.

At first my reaction was relief. Then I glanced up to check my reflection and realized maybe I had made a mistake.

Apparently the only reason I had seen myself in the window to begin with was the same reason I had been able to see. Only a creature born of darkness can see perfectly in the night. Since I was no longer in my disguise as a she-demon, I could no longer see as well. A shadow pony could be walking up right behind me and I wouldn't know.

Speaking of shadow ponies…

Dark laughter made me panic. I sprinted to hide behind the dungeon but soon found myself levitating off the ground with streams of dark magic tying my hands. My worst nightmare had come true.

King Sombra had found me.

He turned from his shadow, ghostlike manifestation into his normal unicorn appearance and leered at me. "Your journey has come to an end. All of Equestria is under my curse. Not even the fifth princess could save you—even if she ever does appear. I will have the pleasure of watching you suffer and die a slow, painful death."

Needless to say, I was terrified. My fear was so strong I doubt I could have conjured magic from the amulet even had I tried. But suddenly a thought came to me.

I sighed as if with relief. "Oh, thank Celestia! I thought you would lock me up with Princess Twilight and her friends."

Sombra scowled. "And let you plot an escape?"

I pretended to be scared. "No, of course not! I turned myself into a wielder of dark magic. There's no telling what they may do to me when they find out!"

Sombra's lip curled in scorn. "They're in shackles. None of them can use their magic. What could they do to a traitor like you?"

"Have you ever seen Applejack buck trees? I don't want to be anywhere near that pony when she's angry!"

Sombra seemed conflicted. I decided to make sure where I would go. "Please don't send me to that dungeon!" I begged in feigned desperation.

Sombra suddenly laughed. "I WILL put you there! My guards will ensure no one escapes while your friends punish you."

He opened the dungeon door and dragged me through roughly. I silently congratulated myself on my cleverness.

Now to only convince the others my disguise was not real.

**What will the Mane Six do? How will Tara deal with the situation? Review or PM me with your thoughts and stay tuned for more! :D**


	20. Chapter 20: Armonia's Healing Tears

**Happy Thanksgiving, everypony! God bless and enjoy this new chapter!**

I hit the dungeon floor hard as Sombra flung me in. To my surprise, he didn't chain me up. I guess he wanted me to be able to struggle as my "so-called friends" tore me apart.

"Your friend Swift here has come to my side and wielded dark magic!" boomed Sombra into the darkness. "Unfortunately her conversion to sanity did not last long. I bring her here for you to punish unhindered by me." The door slammed shut.

Pinkie Pie spoke up. "Tara, is that really you? Because I don't think that you would ever join King Sombra even if he offered you chocolate cake—of course that'd be a really hard offer to turn down but I'm sure you would because you're such a good friend and all and—"

"What's the big idea, Tara?!" Rainbow demanded and cut Pinkie off. "I bear the Element of Loyalty and I know whatever you did out there to get Sombra so riled up couldn't have been loyalty to your friendship with us!"

"No, it's not like that!" I insisted. "Please let me explain."

"We're listening," Applejack said dryly.

"I had to find some way to get in! I used the alicorn magic to make myself look evil and I got real close to the dungeon. But I saw my reflection and got so scared I transformed back. That's when Sombra captured me. Applejack, Element of Honesty, am I lying?"

"Well…sure don't seem like it," the Earth pony conceded reluctantly.

"I was also able to use the magic to speak to the princesses. They told me who Armonia is."

By now my eyes had adjusted and I could see the ponies I was speaking to. All of them seemed riveted now. But as I was about to tell them that I was Armonia, my eyes fell on Twilight.

I'm not exaggerating when I say I thought she was dead.

I ran to her side and knelt by her. "Twilight…no…" I moaned. Remorse welled up in me. All that time I had wasted being afraid, twisting the princesses' pure magic into darkness and rage—all that time, Sombra had had full control of my best friend. She probably only had moments left to live.

And it was my fault.

I stroked Twilight's coat gently and realized there were tears in my eyes. Twilight had used every last bit of her strength to power the earlier spell and try to reveal Princess Armonia. Now she was dying. I knew I could not conjure alicorn magic from the amulet to save her.

I bowed my head. "Goodbye, Twilight," I whispered. A single tear dropped from my eye to Twilight's cheek. Silently the tear struck a scrape and mingled with the lavender alicorn's blood.

And then something unbelievable happened.

Before my eyes, the wound that my tear had struck began to close up. The blood flowed back into Twilight in a soft golden glow that seeped through her veins. As the magic spread through her body her other wounds began to heal. Her broken wings stretched out completely healed as the magic reached them. A gentle shudder and sigh passed through Twilight; the magic was reviving her! Even her mane and tail turned beautiful and smooth again!

She opened her eyes. "What just happened?..."

"The tears that heal!" Applejack exclaimed in awe. "Another prophecy!"

Twilight sat up. "You remembered that?"

"Yes!" Applejack cried in excitement. "Starswirl the Bearded also wrote that when Armonia weeps from compassion and a desire to heal, her tears draw her alicorn magic and heal the wounded." She froze and her eyes widened. "But those were Tara's tears!"

"That means that…" Rarity gasped. "Oh my!"

"You're Princess Armonia," Twilight whispered in awe. "Wow!"

"That's what the other princesses told me. But I thought Armonia had to prove herself worthy of the title!"

Applejack placed a chained hoof on my shoulder. "What better way to prove yourself worthy than to shed healing tears, sugar cube?"

I couldn't help but smile.

"Alright, everypony," Twilight announced. "There's no time to waste. Now that we know Tara is Armonia, we've got to help her gain her alicorn powers. The only way I can think of to do that is through the Elements of Harmony." She straightened her crown.

"YAY!" Pinkie squealed. "Let's do it!"

"Oh yeah!" Rainbow joined in.

"Wait." I held up my hands. "This place is full of dark magic. Are you sure we all have the strength to overcome it?"

Twilight smiled up at me peacefully. "With the Elements on our side, I know we do." She stood up straight and spread her wings. "Everypony ready?"

The Mane Six gathered in a circle around me and closed their eyes in concentration. Once again, the rainbow began in Rarity's necklace and spread slowly to each of the others. The rainbows twisted loosely around Twilight and intersected the Element in her crown—but all the ponies remained oblivious to what was happening. All were putting all their focus into the spell. One by one they began to chant a line from the spell Twilight had spoken earlier.

Rainbow Dash: "The Element inside is strong…"

Rarity: "For she has borne it all along."

Fluttershy: "And if she be worthy of thy flame…"

Applejack: "Give her hooves and a new name…"

Pinkie Pie: "Wings to fly, a magic horn…"

Twilight Sparkle: "And LET RISE A NEW ALICORN!"

As Twilight practically shouted the final line, I felt the Elements' rainbow curling tightly around me, changing me, sinking into my body. My vision turned totally blinding with the colors of all six Elements. I could hear the whoosh of Equestria's most powerful magic as the final prophecy began to come true.

The last thing I remember hearing was Princess Twilight's voice. "Armonia, be revealed!"

And then all was dark and quiet.


	21. Chapter 21: Armonia Unveiled

**Sorry for the delay in getting this one up, guys. I wanted to be absolutely sure I could do it justice. Hope I was successful!**

I opened my eyes and glanced around the cell. Had I been dreaming about Armonia?

I must not have been dreaming. The Mane Six lay exhausted on the floor, clutching their Elements close, panting. Pinkie Pie, of course, was hyperventilating, but that's not unusual for her.

"Everypony alright?" I asked.

The others looked up at me and their eyes widened. Twilight didn't respond with words—she simply pointed at me, her mouth agape.

I looked down at myself and immediately realized I had definitely NOT dreamed.

My hands were no longer hands. They had become hooves, covered with baby pink horseshoes, lined with fur that seemed to flash silver and gold and white all at once. Stroking my mane, I realized that it floated without a breeze and glowed in stripes that were the color of each Element. I touched a hoof to my new magic horn and spread my wings again.

I was shaking with shock and awe. I had become Armonia!

The Mane Six quickly bowed before me, practically kissing my hooves. Even Twilight was prostrating herself. "What is your command, Princess Armonia?"

"Twilight, you know I'm just Tara."

Twilight raised herself and looked at me. "No. The prophecy has come true. You are now the most powerful alicorn Equestria will ever see."

"The most powerful…?" I suddenly felt very brave. "Then Sombra had better watch out!"

As I reached to try to rip the chains off my friends, I had a thought. They were made from dark magic. My alicorn magic could destroy the chains—but I had to do it right.

I closed my eyes and imagined how much I liked my friends and how I wanted to free them. As I did I could feel magic flowing through my horn, illuminating it with a cloud of six different shades. And as I wielded and commanded the magic, my friends' shackles simply dissolved in puffs of moldy green.

The ponies quickly leapt to their feet. "As my human counterpart would say," Rainbow Dash announced proudly, "let's go kick Sombra's sorry butt!"

I raised an eyebrow at Twilight. "You didn't tell them about the song you sang to defeat the Dazzlings…but you told Rainbow Dash about her human counterpart's favorite saying?"

Twilight grinned.

"Um, I don't mean to interrupt or anything," Fluttershy ventured, "but how will we get out of here?"

That was a very good question.

Then I suddenly remembered what I had thought the first time I had seen this dungeon. It looked like the solid form of the cloud spreading over Equestria. Could that possibly mean that like the chains, the dungeon itself was dark magic incarnate? Could I destroy it and free us the same way I destroyed the chains?

Nervous but resolute, I charged my horn again and a burst of blinding white light blasted the dungeon away into the darkened streets of Canterlot.

"Neat!" Rainbow exclaimed.

"Alright, ponies," I announced, "we've got to find Sombra and defeat him. If we can do that, Equestria will be free again and we can restore the princesses' magic."

But there was no sign of anypony anywhere. All was ominously dark and silent in occupied Canterlot.

I sensed nervousness in my pony friends as I led them cautiously down the streets. Finally Applejack spoke up. "Am I the only one creeped out of her mind right now?"

"I'm not scared!' Rainbow boasted.

Pinkie sneaked up behind her. "Boo!"

"GAH!" Rainbow shrieked and shot into the darkened skies. Fortunately she didn't get far before Twilight grabbed her tail with her magic and pulled her back to the ground.

Normally the whole thing would have been laughable, but not now. We had no clue where Sombra was. A slip-up could mean disaster.

Twilight hurried next to me. Her purplish eyes shining with awe, she examined my alicorn form in detail. "Armonia," she breathed in awe. Suddenly she stopped in mid-stride—Pinkie bumped into her from the back but Twilight barely noticed. "Of course!"

"What?" all of us asked in near-perfect unison.

Twilight looked at me in excitement. "Remember the story Sunset Shimmer told you about how I became part of the Rainbooms and we defeated the Dazzlings?"

"Of course, but what—"

"And the winged unicorn that appeared?"

"Yes…"

"That was Armonia!" Twilight exclaimed excitedly. "I thought it was just a product of our magic taking the form of an alicorn. But it was a foreshadowing of what Armonia would be—an incarnation of all six Elements! Another prophecy right under my nose, and in the human world too!"

"So what does that mean exactly?" Rainbow asked. "You know, you being the fulfillment of all the Elements. Does that mean you have all their characteristics or what?"

"I'm not sure what it means," I answered. Quickly glancing at my hooves, I added, "But I'm sure I'll find out very soon now."

"Of course you will!" Twilight exclaimed and skipped along beside me.

I couldn't help but notice a change in the Mane Six's behavior. The first time I had led them into Canterlot (in my anthro form), all of us had been tense and afraid. Even moments ago, as I led them from the dungeon's remains, everypony had been nervous. But with Twilight's remembering of the prophecy at the battle of the bands, now they all knew that they were with the most powerful alicorn in Equestria. Nopony had to fear anything.

Just then Twilight's terrified voice cut into my thoughts. "Help! Help me!"

**DUN-DUN-DUUUUNNN! XD The bit about the alicorn in the battle of the bands being Armonia was just my idea and was in no way inspired by Hasbro (except for that AMAZING song Welcome to the Show!) but I thought it was a cool idea. ;) Hope it was a good idea! :D**


	22. Chapter 22: Glorious Magic

**Longer chapter this time. Hope you like!**

"Twilight!" I called her name, looking around frantically, but she had disappeared.

"Um, Princess?" Applejack suddenly said nervously.

I looked in the direction her hoof pointed and my heart sank.

Sombra's shadow form loomed in front of us ominously. Twilight was levitated just below a pair of threatening yellow-red eyes, seemingly not tied up but still helpless. She looked at me desperately.

Meanwhile Sombra laughed. "What have we here? A unicorn with costume wings?"

"I am Princess Armonia, the fifth and final alicorn, prophesied by Starswirl the Bearded in ages past," I boomed in my alicorn voice and reared my forelegs off the ground.

Sombra laughed mockingly in reply. "Do you expect me to believe that?"

A rainbow-colored stream of magic flowed from my horn and enveloped Twilight, freeing her, bringing her back to me.

Sombra immediately settled into his unicorn body, eyes wide with shock. "What? Impossible!"

"Not with the magic of all six Elements flowing in me."

Sombra backed away slowly, looking genuinely frightened. I spread my glorious wings and rose above him. "Surrender now or face the magic of Armonia!"

Saying that Sombra looked really worried now would be the understatement of the century. Abruptly, however, his demeanor changed—he sneered slightly. "So you're Armonia, huh? Well, Armonia THIS!" A sudden attack of dark magic streamed from his horn.

The darkness poured down like rain around me. Each member of the Mane Six was in turn struck by the downpour and fell to the pavement, weakened. But to my surprise and Sombra's, the attack didn't touch me. I was completely protected.

Still hovering in my alicorn form, I charged my horn and magic the color of all six Elements swirled round me in a magical cloud. As Sombra's cocky expression twisted into terror, I spoke the final words I hoped he would hear. "You had your chance."

With that, I unleashed the full power of the Elements of Harmony upon the unicorn king.

A stream of rainbow-colored magic rained from my horn onto King Sombra—this must have been what Twilight saw at the battle of the bands, I realized. As the light grew brighter and brighter, I saw Sombra appeared to be turning back into shadow. Small puffs of shadow and darkness were dispelled in the stream of magic like leaves before the autumn winds. Sombra roared one final time in fear and fury.

And then he was gone.

But the spell wasn't over.

I next directed my magic toward Canterlot. The sinister darkness that Sombra had created began to dissolve like fuel in a fire as my glorious magic swept the streets. As light and dark magic collided and swirled together, I witnessed the most jaw-dropping event in Equestria since the first sonic rainboom.

Now I know I've talked about what amazing things I've seen in Equestria, but this one by far was the most powerful and incredible.

A supernova-like explosion of Elemental magic erupted from my horn and burst through Canterlot, dispelling the darkness and spreading my light and glory and magic everywhere it touched.

And then it was over.

I looked down at the Mane Six, huddled at my feet. My magic had reversed Sombra's final spell upon them. All were well again.

Twilight was the first to speak. "Princess Armonia, I don't know how we can ever repay you!" She kissed my hooves and wept for joy.

I longed to be in my anthro form again, and as I wished it, I felt the magic in me changing me again. I blinked and realized I once again had arms and legs—along with my pony ears, wings, and tail. The magic subjected itself to my will! I could transform when I wanted! How cool was that?

I quickly recovered from my surprise and knelt down to Twilight's level. "None of this would have happened if you hadn't saved me from King Sombra back in the Canterlot library archives." I smiled. "Don't you remember that?"

Twilight blushed. "I was just trying to protect you."

"And you protected Equestria too." I hugged the little purple alicorn and she hesitantly hugged me in return.

Finally I set Twilight down and stood up to address the rest of the Mane Six. "But I owe to this victory to the rest of you too. All of you helped me find information about the prophecies and find out how to summon the alicorn magic. This is your victory as much as mine." One by one I hugged each pony in deep gratitude.

Just then a voice from above surprised all of us. "Indeed."

We all looked up to see none other than Celestia, Luna, and Cadence descending from the sky. Their horns aglow, their wings outspread, their eyes bright, it was clear that their magic was totally restored.

"Princesses!" I rose to my feet in respect.

The three alicorns touched down in front of me and, to my surprise, bowed as Twilight had done. Twilight herself quickly joined them in their homage.

I felt embarrassed but strangely pleased too. I had saved Equestria with the help of something I never knew I'd need.

"You know something, everypony?" I asked. "Friendship really is magic."

**YAY Sombra's defeated! Is he dead? Maybe... XD This is not the end of the story however! I've got several more chapters planned. Tara's trials did not end with the defeat of King Sombra!**


	23. Chapter 23: Preparing

**Hi everypony! If you're still reading, good for you! XD Before I start this chapter, I just want you guys to know Fist of Enmity has written basically a fanfiction of this story. It can be viewed here: s/10854691/1/Four-Echo-Niner So far only one person is reading and reviewing the story (me) and I think it deserves more. So head on over there! :D Anyway, let's get started!**

The huge supernova I had created dispelled Sombra's stolen magic all across Equestria, healing the ponies he had hurt, and more importantly, returning the magic in my necklace to its rightful owners the princesses. But Twilight told me not all my magic was gone. "The spell that revealed Armonia gave you your magic," she told me. "That necklace keeps your magic near you."

"I'll never take it off," I promised her.

I spent the next few days in Twilight's library reading books about Equestria and planning for what the ponies were calling the biggest event since Twilight's coronation.

Apparently, it was going to be MY coronation.

I had protested rather strongly when I learned this, but Celestia told me that my transformation had made me a princess. The ponies would want to see the fulfillment of the famous "Armonia Prophecy" get the honor she was due. The Mane Six agreed.

Twilight was helping me prepare myself for the experience. But I must admit, there were times when she wasn't all that helpful. Every evening for almost an hour, she would leave me to my books and disappear into Ponyville somewhere. She would never tell me where she'd been or what she'd been doing; she would just wink and tell me to keep reading.

One night as she was sneaking out of the library again, I used my magic (coming from my hand in my anthro form) to hold her by the tail. "Not so fast! My coronation is tomorrow and the dress Rarity promised is nowhere near completed!"

Twilight giggled. "Actually…well, just come with me."

"Finally! Are you going to tell me where you've been all these nights?"

"I'll do better than that!" she promised.

She led me across town in the fading sunlight to Rarity's boutique. Pinkie, Rainbow, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Rarity all stood outside, waiting for us, giggling and shifting their hooves in excitement.

"Is she ready?" Fluttershy asked Twilight.

"Oh! Oh! Can we have a party now?" Pinkie's party cannon materialized beside her (I still don't know how an earth pony does that!) and suddenly confetti was everywhere.

"Now, now, Pinkie Pie," Rarity scolded in a graceful demeanor, "one should always conduct herself in a polite and elite manner when around a princess."

"Sorry!" Pinkie squeaked as all the confetti was sucked back into the cannon like a vacuum.

I couldn't help chuckling. "Girls, you know I'm not officially a princess until tomorrow.'

"The crown may not be on your head yet, but you're a princess for sure, sugar cube," Applejack insisted.

"Pointless arguments aside, step into my boutique, if you please," Rarity told me politely.

My eyes lit up with happiness. "Is my dress ready now?"

"Oh, better than that!" Rarity exclaimed excitedly. She opened the door for me and whipped the cover off one of her mannequins. "Behold—the coronation dress of Armonia!"

How can I even begin to describe her creation? I have no idea, but I'll do the best I can.

It had been tailored to fit an alicorn slightly larger than Celestia—in other words, the size of my alicorn body. The bodice and skirt had been patterned after the Pony Renaissance (which was actually similar to ours) and the style was great. A conveniently placed slit in the back exposed what would have been the shoulder blades on a human, allowing for my wings to spread. But the color took my breath away.

It wasn't any one color. It was six—pink, blue, red, orange, purple, lavender. Each Element of Harmony was represented in the dress. But it wasn't divided into sections of different colors. The fabric itself shimmered with these colors in a magical, almost metallic, fashion. And as a breeze rustled the gown, the colors shimmered and shifted. Every time I moved, I realized, the dress would gleam a different Elemental color in a different place.

"Do you like it, princess?" Rarity asked rather nervously.

"Like it? Rarity, it's incredible!" I felt the shining fabric in my trembling hands.

"Oh! Oh! Try it on! Try it on! TRY IT ON!" Pinkie squeaked while jumping so high she almost hit the ceiling.

I bent forward and reached my arms for the floor. Using the magic to transform back into an alicorn, I used my magic to remove the dress from the mannequin. "Would somepony give me a hoof getting this on?"

Rarity and Twilight helped me into the gown and carefully did up the buttons in the back. As Twilight fetched a mirror, I looked at my reflection in wonder and awe. I looked just like an alicorn princess!

"Those nights when I sneaked out, I was helping Rarity make this!" Twilight exclaimed excitedly.

"And she put some of her magic into it, too!" Rarity added. "When you transform, the dress transforms with you, darling! Try it!"

I stomped my front hooves and raised myself slightly to turn back into my anthro form. To my amazement, the dress did indeed change with me to fit my new body without losing any of the style or color!

"Girls, I don't know what to say!" I cried in joy. "Now if only my sister could see me—" I stopped midsentence.

"What's wrong, sugar cube?" Applejack asked in concern.

I saw down and sighed. "My sister. Savannah. She must be terrified right now. The way I just disappeared like that, with no explanation and no leads on where to find me."

Twilight looked sad. "I forgot you'd told me about her."

"Is there any way I could get a message to her, or talk to her, anything, so she won't worry?" I questioned.

"You are talking about sending a message between two worlds that are only connected by a magical portal, you know," Rarity reminded me.

"Wait! What about that book, Twilight?" Pinkie Pie started bouncing around eagerly again. "The one that magically sends a message to Sunset Shimmer in the human world whenever you write in it?"

"Would it work?" I asked Twilight.

She thought for a minute. "It might. We'd have to give Sunset Shimmer your sister's address so she could find her."

"I'd be willing to do that! I've just got to let my sister know not to be afraid!" Suddenly I got an idea. "You know what? I'll wait and do it after my coronation tomorrow."

"You seemed mighty anxious to do it just a minute ago," Applejack pointed out.

I couldn't help but grin. "Yeah. But I've got an idea on how to make my sister believe me."

**What will Tara do/ Will her coronation go as planned? Does Derpy really have a daughter named Dinky? (Seriously, I wanna know. :P ) Thanks for reading! :D**


	24. Chapter 24: Connected Across Worlds

**Longest chapter yet! :D**

In my alicorn body, the glorious dress draped over me, I stood nervously just outside the throne room. The four princesses had erected a fifth throne, the largest of all, in the center for me. My cutie mark shone in paint done by a skilled pony on the back of the throne, like the other princesses'.

"Citizens of Equestria," Celestia's voice called out, "we are gathered today to celebrate the most glorious occasion in Equestrian history. Less than one moon ago, the Armonia Prophecy was fulfilled. The incarnation of the Elements of Harmony has arisen."

The ponies cheered wildly and only quieted when Celestia continued, "I could say much more, but I know all of you are anxious to see the one who defeated King Sombra. So without any more delays, I give you the Princess of Harmony, Princess Armonia!"

Curtains parted and I walked gracefully into the throne room, my mane flowing behind me like a glorious train. Ponies bowed as I passed. Slowly I approached the four princesses, all of them smiling in joy. I bowed my head to receive the crown.

Twilight's levitation magic set the golden crown upon my head just in front of my horn. The crown was more of a tiara, about the size of Celestia's crown or Luna's. But its gemstone was similar to my dress. Whenever I moved, a different Elemental color—representing the magic in me—flashed on my crown and on my dress.

Totally disregarding princess manners, Twilight gave me a quick hug before backing up and bowing to me. I faced the crowd and halted their cheering by raising a single hoof.

"Princess Celestia told you that I am the incarnation of the famous Elements of Harmony," I began. "Well, that's not entirely true. I myself do not completely know how I am connected with these six magical gemstones. But I do know one thing.

"I know that without the six ponies who bear the Elements and represent their magic, I would not be standing in front of you right now. I am not a native of Equestria and knew nothing of it when I first arrived. Without the help of these amazing girls, I would not have survived—and Armonia would have fallen." I motioned to the Mane Six, who had been waiting in the wings. They eagerly joined me.

As the crowd's cheers continued, I stomped my front hooves and raised myself up as I transformed back into my anthro form. Either way, I was far taller than any pony (even Celestia), but in my anthro form I wasn't as frightening.

"So what will your first action as princess be, Princess Armonia?" Rarity asked me.

I laughed. "Watch and see! Princess Luna?"

The princess of the night stood before me and bowed her head respectfully. "How may I serve you, Princess of Harmony?"

As uncomfortable as I was with being addressed like that by all these ponies, I realized I would have to get used to it. But that wasn't important at the moment. "I know that you can enter the dreams of anypony you please," I told her. "Can you also enter the dreams of a human?"

Luna seemed surprised. "I suppose I could try. But to tell you the truth, it's never been attempted, so I do not know for certain."

"Please try. When it is night in the human world, there is someone who needs a message. I will explain the rest in due time."

I turned to Twilight next. "Bring the magical message book to the Canterlot library archives. I have an important message for Sunset Shimmer."

Meanwhile, back in the human world…

A young woman, in her late teenage years, sat curled up with a magazine on a chair in her apartment. She was half-blond, half-redhead, with the two colors streaked together in her hair. Her T-shirt bore an image of a blazing sun.

She looked up in surprise as a book on the table adjacent to her glowed and vibrated like a cell phone. Quickly she picked up the book and read the message that had appeared:

"Dear Sunset Shimmer,

"I'm writing to tell you that a lot of crazy stuff has happened in Equestria over the past few days. But I'll tell you the most important one. The Armonia Prophecy has been fulfilled."

Sunset sat up a little straighter and finished the message rapidly. "Wow," she breathed and then laughed. "Who would have thought Tara Swift, of all people, would be the one?" She picked up a pen.

"Dear Princess Twilight,

"Your note has made me more homesick than ever. I wish I could have seen that coronation. Please tell the new princess that I am her humble servant whether I am home in Equestria or in the human world, and that I will do whatever she commands."

A reply in a different handwriting appeared almost immediately.

"I have an assignment for you."

Sunset's eyes opened wide as she scribbled, "Is that you, Princess Armonia?"

"Yes, but you don't have to call me that. I'm still Tara Swift too."

"Alright. What do you want me to do?"

Later that evening...

The young woman looked nervously around. A plane of deep green grass extended on all sides as far as she could possibly see. No trees, houses, or people appeared anywhere. Everything was dark; stars twinkled overhead like glass fragments on black velvet.

What was happening? She hadn't been here moments ago.

Suddenly a soothing voice came from behind her. "Savannah Swift, I presume."

The woman turned sharply and found herself face-to-muzzle with a winged blue unicorn, her mane sparkling and flowing. Savannah shrieked in surprise.

The horse creature smiled. "Don't be afraid of me."

"Who are you?!" Savannah demanded.

"I am Luna, princess of the night. Thus it is my duty to come into your dreams," the pony answered with a gentle smile.

Despite being very confused, suddenly Savannah felt extremely relieved. "Thank goodness I'm dreaming! I thought for a minute there that I was going crazy."

Luna chuckled. "I assure you that you are asleep." She grew serious again. "I am here by the order of Princess Armonia of my homeland, Equestria."

Savannah raised an eyebrow. "And what does that mean?"

"It means I did not come here merely to enter your dreams. I was sent to tell you that there is one in this world who knows what has happened to your sister—to Tara Swift."

Savannah felt conflicted. On the one hand, she missed Tara terribly and the police were looking for her. But on the other hand, they had made little progress in doing so. "Oh, well, it's just a dream," she said aloud. "What can you tell me about Tara?"

"I can tell you nothing," answered the princess of the night.

"What? But why?"

"Because you would brush it off as the musings of your subconscious as you slept," Luna answered. "You must hear it from another to believe it."

"You're right there," Savannah admitted.

Luna spread her wings in preparation for flight. "Tomorrow morning at ten thirty, six young women will come to your door. The one leading them will be in her late teens, tall and slender, with red and blond streaked hair. Her name is Sunset Shimmer. She is the one with whom you must speak to learn of Tara."

"Sunset Shimmer? What kind of a name is that?"

"She is the one," Luna repeated, ignoring Savannah's comment. A mighty gust of wind swept the plane as Luna spread her wings again and soared into the starry sky towards the full moon.

Savannah shivered in the sudden cold of the wind. "Luna? Wait! Luna!"

The winged unicorn silently moved toward the moon and merged with it, leaving no visible marks behind.

Savannah suddenly jolted awake, panting. "What a dream!" she whispered to herself.

A glance to her bed told her that her blankets had been pulled to one side and she was lying in only her pajama dress under the fan. No wonder she had been cold. As she pulled the blankets back into position, she pondered her dream. "I guess now I just wait until ten thirty tomorrow to prove I'm not crazy and that it was just a dream," she murmured to herself.

Morning came and Savannah watched the clock anxiously. Ten o'clock came and went.

She glanced between her newspaper and the clock on the wall. Ten after ten. Ten fifteen.

Footsteps on the sidewalk made her jump; she chuckled softly. "That's just Max out walking his dog," she scolded herself silently.

Ten twenty-five. Savannah stared at the clock now.

Ten thirty.

Ten thirty-two.

Savannah suddenly found herself relaxing. She fell back in her chair, laughing, shaken. "It was just a dream!" she exclaimed in excitement and relief. "I'm not crazy!"

_Ding-dong_.

Savannah's laughter stopped.

Tiptoeing gingerly toward the door, she peered out the peephole cautiously. A group of teenage girls stood on the doorstep—six, Savannah realized after a brief head count. And the one leading them had blond and red streaked hair. She was tall and slender, and looked to be a recent high school graduate.

Savannah gulped and opened the door cautiously.

The leading girl smiled at her. "Hi! We're looking for Savannah Swift."

"That's me," Savannah answered faintly. "And you're Sunset Shimmer, aren't you?"

Sunset looked surprised. "Yes, but…how did you know? Have we met?"

"It came to me in…in a dream."

Sunset's eyebrows raised in understanding. "Luna visited you, huh?"

"You know about her?"

Sunset glanced at the girls behind her. One of them, an athletic teen with rainbow-colored hair, met eyes with Sunset as she addressed Savannah. "You may want to sit down for what we have to tell you."

**So Savannah will soon know what happened to Tara! :D So to all my readers, a question: this story isn't finished yet. But here's my problem. The story was intended to only cover Tara's entry to Equestria and her coronation. I am planning to write events that occur later, but I had planned on making them a sequel. However, I could just add them onto this story and extend it. Which would you, my readers, prefer? Review or PM me with your thoughts. Thanks! ;D**


	25. Chapter 25: Surprises

**Tried to make this one longer. Hope I succeeded. :P Also, this chapter begins the tie-in with Four Echo Niner. More of the tie-in will be revealed shortly in this story and in Four Echo Niner. One last note: Majestic Wren PMed me with the line Pinkie delivers (starting with "Your sister is..."). I edited it slightly to fit the story better, but other than that, verbatim from the PM. Thanks MW! Anyway, enjoy, and please remember to review! :D**

Savannah opened the door and watched warily as the six girls walked in. Something seemed off about them. Something…unusual. Not the least of which was their names. How many girls are named Sunset Shimmer, after all?

"So you're Savannah Swift," Sunset began, "and I'm Sunset Shimmer, of course. This is Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie." Each girl smiled and nodded or waved as her name was mentioned.

Pinkie, on the other hand…

"We came to tell you about Tara! Your sister is the most powerful pony princess in a hidden land, and she defeated this monster that was about to ruin the whole kingdom, and now she has magic and wings and complete power!" As she drew breath an irritated Rainbow Dash stepped in front of her. "What Pinkie is trying to say is—"

Sunset Shimmer held up a hand. "Maybe I'd better do the talking, girls."

Savannah indicated the couch in the living room with her hand. As the six girls squeezed onto the couch, Savannah made herself comfortable in the armchair across from them. "Now," she said quietly, "I assume there's a logical explanation for my dream and for my sister's disappearance and for Pinkie's…outburst."

"Well, there IS an explanation, but whether or not you believe it is entirely up to you," the one named Rarity answered delicately.

"Did you see the newspaper reports about the crazy stuff going on at Canterlot High in town?" Applejack asked.

Savannah nodded. "Everyone was talking about it for weeks. But it seemed pretty hard to believe."

"Well, Principals Celestia and Luna did try to keep it quiet," admitted Sunset. "But they couldn't stop the rumors from spreading. Most of those rumors were greatly exaggerated. But some are still true." She leaned forward. "For instance, the ones about a girl appearing and then returning to a portal to an alternate world are very much real."

Savannah laughed. "Sure they were!"

Sunset sighed. "I was afraid you wouldn't believe me. But at least hear me out. That portal leads to a world called Equestria, inhabited by ponies, griffons, dragons, sirens, all sorts of creatures considered mythical here. I know it's real because…well…because I come from there. I made horrible choices back home and came here to the human world to try and seize power. But Twilight Sparkle—the girl from the portal—she destroyed my evil body and turned me around."

Savannah's arms were folded as she scowled at the girls. "You actually expect me to believe all this nonsense?"

"Ma'am, I expect you to totally disregard our story. But if you do, you'll never really know what happened to Tara."

Savannah rolled her eyes. "What harm can it do? Go on."

"The pawn shop where Tara was last seen contains a magical mirror—the portal into Equestria. Somehow she must have fallen into that portal. Twilight found her and saved her from the dangerous Everfree Forest." Sunset frowned. "The details are a bit fuzzy from here, but from what we've heard, a unicorn king who wields dark magic attacked and captured the Equestrian capital. His name is King Sombra and he almost succeeded. He would have, in fact—but Twilight hid Equestria's most important magic in a necklace she gave to Tara. As Tara tried to control the magic, she learned she fulfilled an ancient prophecy by the unicorn Starswirl the Bearded. He foretold that a fifth princess alicorn—a winged unicorn with Earth pony strength—would arise and defeat the shadow king. Twilight and her friends used their magic to give Tara her alicorn form and magical power so she could defeat Sombra. Now she's in the position of highest power and authority in Equestria."

"So you're telling me my sister has been transported to an alternate world where she turned out to fulfill some crazy prophecy and become the highest princess of all? And you're telling me she's now a—what's the word?"

"Alicorn," Sunset Shimmer repeated patiently. "And with all due respect, Ms. Swift, the Armonia Prophecy is the most widely known and revered work of Starswirl the Bearded in all of Equestria."

Savannah sighed. "Ok, listen, girls. I appreciate you trying to make me feel better. I really do. But I simply can't believe everything you're telling me. There is no such thing as a magical mirror that whisks people into a world full of talking ponies!"

"Would you like to experience it for yourself?" Sunset asked dryly.

"I'll pass, thank you," Savannah retorted in a similar tone.

"I'll tell you one thing, lady," Rainbow spoke up. "Applejack here (she pointed to the blond girl wearing a cowgirl hat) never told a lie in her life. We're telling you the truth."

"Would you like proof?" asked Rarity, the one with curly purple hair and three diamonds on her skirt.

Savannah sat back and chuckled. "If you think you can convince me, go ahead."

"Okay." Sunset Shimmer leaned forward and rested her hands on her knees. "In the first place, the jewelry Tara was going to sell—there were six pieces. Five were necklaces, and each necklace had one gemstone of a different color and shape from all the others. One had a blue balloon, one had a pink butterfly, one had a red lightning bolt, one had an amber apple, and one had a purple diamond. The last piece of jewelry was a golden crown and it had a lavender star as its gemstone."

Savannah's eyes grew wide. The last thing she had ever seen Tara do was show her the jewelry as she announced her plans to sell it. "How did you know what the jewelry looked like?!" she demanded.

Pinkie spoke up now. "They're called the Elements of Harmony and they're from Equestria and they're actually magical elements that are all connected and can do a lot of neat stuff like defeat raging she-demons (Sunset Shimmer facepalmed) and defeat crazy sirens and turn monsters into stone and they're used to protect Equestria but somehow they got washed through a river into our world and Tara—"

Applejack's hand met its target on Pinkie's still-moving lips.

"But I'll give you the most powerful proof of all," Sunset quickly added. She handed Savannah a book with a blazing sun on the cover. "Turn to the page I've got marked there."

"If you're expecting me to see a note from Tara confirming your story, you have no proof you didn't just write it yourself!" Savannah asserted angrily. She stood up. "I think this has gone far enough, girls."

"Ms. Swift, please just open the book!" pleaded Applejack.

"If you wouldn't mind, that is…" Fluttershy practically whispered.

"The message will appear!" Rarity insisted.

Sunset looked up at Savannah seriously. "Ma'am, that book is my only connection home to Equestria. Whenever anything is written in that book, the message appears in another book in Equestria, and vice versa. Tara knows we are here and she will be writing a message to you any minute. Please. I know you'll be much more at peace if you just let us and Tara show you that our story is true!"

Savannah's anger subsided at Sunset's near desperate pleas. Despite her still-skeptical attitude, she had to admit these girls sure didn't act like liars.

But their story couldn't possibly be true.

Right?

Savannah sighed. "Fine. I'll look in the book—but only to prove to myself that none of this is true." She sat back down and took the book from Sunset Shimmer's offering hands.

But before Savannah could open the book, a knock came at the door.

Back in Equestria…

Twilight opened the book on the table. "All ready, Tara?"

I nodded. "I can't tell you how grateful I am that you did this, Twilight. But you're sure Sunset Shimmer can get a message to my sister?"

"Of course! If what I've heard is true, she's actually at your sister's house right now." Twilight levitated her pen. "Go ahead."

I sighed. "OK. Here goes.

" ' Dear Savannah, you probably won't believe what I'm about to tell you…

"By now Sunset Shimmer and the others would have told you what happened to me, and that I fulfilled Equestrian prophecy. Sis, it's all true. Starswirl the Bearded used his time spells to travel briefly to the future and record what he saw. He saw me! I'm part of Equestria now.

"I miss you, sis, and I wanted to be sure you wouldn't be afraid for me. Don't worry. I am perfectly safe here in Equestria. And whenever you want to talk to me, ask Sunset Shimmer to loan you her book. We can write back and forth as long as you want.

" '…Your favorite little sister in the world, and now in Equestria, Tara.' P.S. Say thank you to Sunset Shimmer.' "

Twilight set the pen down and closed the book as the message was magically transported. Gently she put a hoof on my shoulder. "I'm glad you decided to send a message to your sister."

"Do you think I should go back?" I asked and sighed.

"It's your call."

"But I don't want to leave Equestria right after finding out that I'm the final princess! What if Sombra comes back?"

"Like I said, your decision. But if you do choose to go back, remember that the portal is always open now."

I didn't answer. Something was bothering me…something I couldn't put my finger (or maybe hoof) on.

Twilight noticed it too. "Tara? Something wrong?"

"I don't know. Just…off." I moved toward the window and spread my wings. "I'll be back soon, okay?" Without waiting for a response, I took to the sky and flew in the direction of the Everfree Forest.

Anypony who asked what was motivating me to go to the Everfree Forest, of all places, wouldn't have gotten a definite answer. I didn't know what was wrong, but I did know something had happened. Something that definitely shouldn't have happened.

I touched down just outside the forest and walked along a beaten trail, looking for something, anything, that may tell me just what I had sensed.

As I rounded a bend in the path, something on the ground caught my eye. It was white, flat, and rectangular, like a sheet of paper. Basically, not something that belonged on the forest floor.

Picking the paper up to examine it, I saw it bore a series of numbers and four letters: "MCPD". Immediately a sense of deja vu overwhelmed me. MCPD stood for Mount Christopher Police Department—the police of the town where I had gone to the pawn shop. But what was it doing here?

I turned the paper over and gasped as I recognized a picture Savannah had taken of me at her birthday party that January. She must have turned the image over to the Mount Christopher police. Were they looking for me?

I couldn't help but chuckle. "Not that anyone will find me now. Still though, what's it doing here?"

A glance up at the sky told me the sun was already beginning to sink toward the horizon. "C'mon Celestia, a little bit longer! Please!"

I almost began to run as I hurried down the path, knowing that every second was dangerous as I lost light. The Everfree Forest was creepy enough in the daytime. I tried not to think about what could be in there come nightfall when Luna's moon graced the sky.

But I immediately stopped when I rounded another curve in the path and saw the last thing I had expected to see.

A human man.

I looked down at my anthro body and knew that was not what I wanted him to see. Ducking behind a tree, I performed my transformation spell and turned back into an ordinary human. The man further down the path didn't seem to notice the brief burst of magic and light that my spell gave off.

Slowly, nervously, I advanced forward.


	26. Chapter 26: Face to Face

**Shorter chapter again. Tie-in with Four Echo Niner though. More soon, hopefully! :D**

Savannah walked over to the door and peered out the peephole. Immediately she drew back in surprise. "Maybe you'd better leave, girls."

"Whatever is the matter, Ms. Swift?" Rarity inquired.

"The police are here. Looks like the same officers who talked to me after I reported Tara to be missing. I don't know if they'll want witnesses for this conversation." Savannah sighed. "Of course, it'd look odd to have all six of you leaving at once right as the police arrive."

"We can move to the kitchen while they talk to you," offered Fluttershy.

"Especially if there's CAKE in the kitchen!" Pinkie squealed excitedly.

The officers knocked again, seemingly impatient. Savannah sighed. "Don't worry about it. We'll see if they want you to leave. I hope not, but they might." She unlocked the door and pulled it open.

Back in Equestria…

I got a better look at the man as I approached him. He looked about six foot tall, with dark hair cut in a military style. It was by now too dark to make out the details on his clothes, but I could see his belt was bulky and heavy. He looked like a policeman. It was a safe bet he had dropped the picture I now held in my hand. "He must have been looking for me," I whispered.

As I leaned forward for a better look, the bush I was hiding behind rustled. The man reached for his belt. Suddenly I was blinded as a powerful flashlight beam was aimed my direction. Shading my eyes, I watched as the policeman scanned the surrounding bushes nervously. After a moment he turned the flashlight off and kept walking. I followed as silently as I could manage. My mind was racing. How had he gotten here? What had he seen? How could I approach him?

He halted without warning and I took another step without realizing what I was doing. It turned out to be a mistake as a twig snapped rather loudly. The man didn't move, but I saw his shoulders heave for a second. He seemed to be preparing himself. Then abruptly he turned and his flashlight turned my field of vision to solid white. "Police!" he shouted.

"Don't shoot! I'm not armed!" I cried. Of course, I could always use my magic to render myself bulletproof or break his gun, but I couldn't summon that particular spell when I was in my human form. Besides, he already seemed pretty tense. A transformation right then would probably make him shoot.

"It's you," he stated in seeming surprise as he lowered his flashlight and his gun. "You're the girl that we've been looking for. Swift; Tara Swift."

I wiped my still-watering eyes and nodded. "Yep; that's me."

"How'd you get here? It was that creepy shopkeeper, wasn't it? Don't worry; I'll have him arrested as soon as we're both back in Mt. Christopher."

I was genuinely confused. "Creepy shopkeeper?" Then it hit me. I had told Savannah about going to a pawn shop in Mt. Christopher to sell the jewelry—no, they were the Elements of Harmony. Had the shop owner known about the magic mirror? Did the police suspect him of kidnapping me?

But the officer kept talking. "Now, all we need to do is find a ranger station, or someplace else with a phone. I'll call the department to send a car to pick us up, and we can get you back where you belong."

Now I understood. "Clearly, he's absolutely unaware of his current situation," I thought. But that was easily remedied.

I spoke up to get his attention. "Look, officer, I think there's something that you need to see."

"Oh? What's that?"

My nerves tingled as I realized what I was about to do. This officer did seem a bit trigger happy—easily understandable, but still not very safe. "Promise that you won't freak out…and shoot me."

The officer raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"I'm not going to hurt you," I insisted quickly, "but you might be a bit…surprised."

He eyed me analytically for a second before holstering his gun. "Alright."

"You, um, might want to close your eyes too," I advised rather sheepishly.

The officer gave me a look of "Are you kidding me?" Clearly he did not want to do that.

I shrugged at his decision and summoned my transformation magic again. An instant later I levitated slightly in the air before him, transformed into my anthro form.

His eyes widened as his flashlight hit me again. He stepped back in wonder and fear. "What…are you?"

As I drew breath to respond, we both heard the distant howl of a dragon emerging from his lair to hunt in the night. As the officer looked around nervously, I knew I had to get him out of the Everfree Forest before the night completely overtook us.

"I'll tell you, but not here; the forest is very dangerous." Hesitantly I reached a hand toward him. "Here; take my hand."

He looked from my face to my hand and back to my face, nervous and worried. "Why?"

I thought that was obvious. "Because if you don't, you'll be stuck alone in the dark, with no answers."

He immediately grabbed my hand in a vice-like grip that reminded me of the tight bands of dark magic Sombra had used to tie me up. "Ow! Not so tight! You're not apprehending me."

"Uh…sorry." He loosened his grip but I could tell he was still nervous. "So…what now?"

"This." And with a snap of my fingers and a little more pony magic, we teleported and left the dark forest behind.


	27. Chapter 27: Sisters

**I continued the tie-in with Four Echo Niner here, but with a twist. I have purposefully not included all the dialogue from the latest chapter like I did when Tara met the police officer. For the police interview in this chapter from Savannah's POV, you will have to read First of Enmity's story. Regardless of my story, I strongly encourage you to read his-it is excellent. Anyways, enjoy and remember to review!**

Savannah opened the door. None of the girls on the sofa could see outside, but they could hear the conversation. "Uh…can I help you?" Savannah asked.

"Savannah Swift?" asked a deep voice, probably one of the officers.

"Yes…"

"I'm Detective Colton, this is Detective Killian. We're from the Mount Christopher Police Department."

The girls on the couch exchanged surprised glances.

"Do you mind if we come in? We have some questions we'd like to ask about your sister," a second voice added.

"Well…I suppose so." Savannah glanced nervously toward the girls crowded on her couch. For a moment Sunset thought she would tell the officers to leave. But soon she stepped aside and let them in.

"Can I get you two anything?" she offered.

"No, ma'am—thank you."

By now both detectives were in the living room. They regarded the six girls on the very crowded couch with surprise—certainly they hadn't expected to see that many visitors. Each girl timidly waved—except for Fluttershy, who shrank deeper into the cushions while looking like she wanted to disappear. Sunset raised her hand in a brief greeting but couldn't keep it up. Her stomach was knotting up, the way it had when she tried to steal Twilight's crown and the royal guards had almost spotted her. Since then she had always been a bit wary of anypony—or any human—in uniform. It was silly, she knew, but then most phobias were silly.

Savannah cleared her throat. "These are some girls who came to give me information about my sister."

"I see." Colton, a slightly shorter and less intimidating officer, crossed his arms as he looked at the girls. "You were her friends?"

Pinkie Pie inhaled—luckily, Rarity saw the imminent danger and quickly put a hand on her mouth. Applejack spoke up instead. "Uh…not exactly."

The detectives looked rather warily at each other. "Oh?" Colton repeated, obviously suspecting something was wrong.

Sunset Shimmer mentally facepalmed. _Can't the Element of Honesty tell a lie once in her life? Well, of course not—then she wouldn't be the Element of Honesty anymore. Oh well, better patch this up before they arrest us all._

She spoke up. "They're friends of mine. I knew Tara, and they just came along with me."

"And you are…" Colton asked.

"Sunset Shimmer." Sunset pointed to each girl on the couch. "This is Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie."

The detectives nodded in acknowledgement of the girls. Sunset's pulse raced as she realized, however, that both were completely focused on her. Though struggling to remain calm outwardly, she knew they could see she was scared. What did these men think? Why were they here? What would Savannah tell them?

Sunset's gaze fell on the magical book Savannah still held under one arm. If she turned it over to the police…

"Would you mind waiting in another room?" Killian asked, cutting into Sunset's worried thoughts.

Sunset motioned to the girls and led them silently into the kitchen. Applejack, the last one to enter, closed the door and then leaned against it in seeming relief. "Those two scare me, y'all."

"Tell me about it! They acted like they thought we kidnapped Tara or something!" Rarity folded her arms and huffed.

"Get away from the cake," Applejack whispered to a very hungry Pinkie Pie who stood drooling by the counter.

"Chocolate cake…" Pinkie whispered.

Rainbow rolled her eyes and pulled the pink-haired girl from the admittedly very tempting cake. "Look, Pinkie Pie. I've got some chocolate peanut butter crackers in my pocket. You can eat those." Pinkie excitedly tore into the treat.

"What's wrong, Sunset Shimmer?" Fluttershy whispered to Sunset. The older girl was standing by the kitchen door, closed, leading back into the living room.

Sunset frowned. "I don't know. I can't hear what they're saying but it sounds like there's a lot of tension in there."

Just then Savannah's voice grew shrill in anger. Each girl jumped as one of the officers shouted "Miss Swift!" loudly in reply. Then the voices grew quiet again.

"Ho boy," Rainbow whispered.

Surprised into quiet, the girls stayed silently in the kitchen until Sunset Shimmer heard the officers telling Ms. Swift goodbye. "Coast is clear," she whispered and opened the kitchen door.

Savannah closed the door behind the officers and just stood there, silent. Sunset Shimmer and the others came out of the kitchen and looked at her in concern.

Applejack spoke first. "Everything okay, Ms. Swift?"

Savannah sighed. "I don't know. Those officers asked me if Tara had broken any laws or had witnessed a crime. They said that an Officer Samuel Ford who was assigned to the case was kidnapped, they believe by the cartel. Their suspicion is that Tara saw something she shouldn't have, and was kidnapped so she wouldn't talk."

"Well, THAT certainly isn't what happened!" Pinkie exclaimed excitedly, " 'cause Tara's in Equestria and—"

"Pinkie Pie, will you PLEASE be quiet?!" Rainbow snapped.

Sunset stepped closer to Savannah. "Well…what do you think?"

Savannah sighed. "I know Tara would never be connected with criminal activity. She would report anything suspicious."

"Do you believe us or those cops?" Rainbow asked almost a little impatiently.

Savannah looked at her feet. "I—I don't know who to believe right now. Neither story makes any sense!"

Sunset gently touched the book Savannah was still holding. "Why don't you ask Tara herself?"

Savannah looked up. "You really believe this book is magical, don't you?"

"I KNOW it is."

A moment of tense silence hung in the air. Finally Savannah sighed. "Okay. What do I do?"

"Just open the book," Sunset encouraged.

Savannah slowly cracked open the cover to the marked page Sunset had indicated. As she did so, at first all she saw was a blank page. But then letters began to appear in elegant penmanship, like invisible ink showing up under heat.

"Dear Savannah, you probably won't believe what I'm about to tell you.

"By now Sunset Shimmer and the others would have told you what happened to me, and that I fulfilled Equestrian prophecy. Sis, it's all true. Starswirl the Bearded used his time spells to travel briefly to the future and record what he saw. He saw me! I'm part of Equestria now.

"I miss you, sis, and I wanted to be sure you wouldn't be afraid for me. Don't worry. I am perfectly safe here in Equestria. And whenever you want to talk to me, ask Sunset Shimmer to loan you her book. We can write back and forth as long as you want.

"Your favorite little sister in the world, and now in Equestria, Tara. P.S. Say thank you to Sunset Shimmer.' "

Sunset put a hand on Savannah's shoulder. "I'm sure she'd love to hear from you, ma'am."

Fluttershy meekly extended a pen. For a moment Savannah stared at the pen like it was about to explode. Then, carefully, she took the pen in her hand and touched it to the page. "Dear Tara…if that's really you, say something only you and I would recognize."

A reply appeared almost immediately. "When I was five years old, I found a necklace made of gold with a blue balloon for a gemstone. You told me it was probably a party favor from the other girl's birthday party that week. Do you remember that?"

Savannah read through the short note in shock. "It's true," she whispered. It was a statement and not a question. "It's true! It's all true!" Tears of joy filled her eyes. "Tara's alright!"

She wrote rapidly in the book. "I can't believe it! You're alive! You're okay!"

Back in Equestria…

I was by now quite used to my own teleportation spell. Unfortunately, the police officer I had found in the Everfree Forest was not. Not surprising, considering he probably didn't even believe in magic—until now, at least. If he hadn't still been holding my hand uncomfortably tightly, he would have faceplanted into the Canterlot Palace floor. "Whoa—careful!" I warned as he tried not to fall.

As it was, he appeared to have a terrible headache.

"Ugh," he groaned. "What was that?"

I shrugged casually. "Teleportation spell." He seemed surprised at my casual attitude toward it. But it was so common in Equestria, it was really only a basic spell.

Just then the room's door was engulfed in purple-pink magic as Twilight opened it and dashed in. "Tara! Are you alright? You ran off and…" She halted midsentence as she and the officer stared at each other.

He raised an eyebrow. "That's…a talking horse."

Twilight seemed equally surprised. "That's…a human."

The officer released my hand and stared at me incredulously. "Where am I?! What's going on?!"

Twilight and I looked at each other for a minute and almost simultaneously burst out laughing. The officer looked back and forth between us, trying to make sense of the situation, getting more confused every second.

Finally I motioned to Twilight to get a chair. "You really should sit down, officer. You've got a lot to take in."

He looked at me like I was nuts. But before he could ask any more questions, the book glowed and vibrated. Twilight levitated it with her magic, her eyes still focused on the officer. "Probably for you, Tara."

The book vibrated as a reply in my sister's handwriting appeared.

"Dear Tara…if that's really you, say something only you and I would recognize."

Twilight picked up the pen but I snatched it from her and scribbled the message myself, tears of joy blurring my sight. "When I was five years old, I found a necklace made of gold with a blue balloon for a gemstone. You told me it was probably a party favor from the other girl's birthday party that week. Do you remember that?"

"I can't believe it! You're alive! You're okay!" Tears suddenly materialized on the paper. I wasn't sure if they came from me or my sister—most likely both.

"It's all true? All the things Sunset Shimmer said were true?"

"Absolutely!"

"Tara, I just talked to two police officers who think you were kidnapped by the mafia or the cartel because you witnessed something! They even said a police officer assigned to your case was kidnapped probably for the same reason! Boy, have I got news for them."

"Wait!" I glanced back at the police officer behind me. "What's your name?" I asked him.

"Ford…Samuel Ford." He glanced over at Twilight, neither of them still quite sure what to think. "At least I know what my name is."

"Was his name Samuel Ford?" I wrote in the book.

"How did you know?!" Savannah's handwriting demanded.

"Because he's sitting right behind me in Equestria right now!"

"WHAT?!"

"We'll figure out how he got here later. I'm just glad that I can talk to you through this book!"

Another tear appeared as Savannah's reply progressed slowly across the page. "I'm glad you're okay. After your house burned down and you came to me, I felt so bad for telling you I couldn't let you stay with me. I wish I had just said yes. Then none of this would have happened! We'd still be together!"

"Equestria would have been torn apart by King Sombra if none of this had happened," I reminded her.

Almost a full minute passed before Savannah's reply manifested itself. "Still…I miss you."

I sighed. "I miss you too. But we can always talk through the book."

We talked by writing for a few more minutes before it became clear that Ford wanted an explanation for what was happening. I told Savannah I had to go and closed the book. It was time to explain to a very rational, very anxious policeman that he was now semi-permanently in a world full of magic and talking equine creatures.

At Savannah's house…

The girls watched happily as Savannah and Tara wrote excitedly back and forth. Finally Savannah sighed. "She says she has to go." She put the book down.

"So you believe us now?" Rainbow asked.

"Definitely! I can't disbelieve after seeing the proof right here!"

Sunset picked up the book to put it back in her bag. Savannah hesitated before speaking up. "Sunset?" She pointed hesitantly at the book. "Could I…?"

All eyes were suddenly focused on Sunset Shimmer. That book was her last connection home to Equestria.

Was she about to give it up?

Finally Sunset dashed away a silent tear. "Of course. You need it more than me." She handed the book to Savannah.

Savannah stroked the book's cover as one strokes a precious fur coat. "I can't thank you enough."

Sunset smiled sadly. "Let's leave Ms. Swift alone for now, girls."

The rest of the girls walked silently toward the door, even Pinkie (and she's NEVER silent).

"Sunset Shimmer?" Savannah asked the half redhead, half blonde.

Sunset stopped in the doorway. "Yes?"

Savannah bit her lip. "I just wanted to tell you…be careful."

Sunset Shimmer looked vaguely worried. "Oh?"

"Those police officers seemed suspicious of all six of you, but especially you in particular. They seem to think you're hiding something. I could tell by the way they treated you six."

Sunset chuckled wryly. "Well, I AM hiding something. I'm hiding the fact that I'm really from Equestria!"

"I think they suspect you're hiding something criminal. Of course…now I know that none of that's true." Savannah's eyes focused on the book again. "I just wanted you to know. Watch your step out there, okay? If you get in trouble with the police, don't hesitate to contact me."

Sunset smiled. "Will do. Thank you, ma'am."

"You can call me Savannah," the woman corrected gently.

"Thank you…Savannah." Sunset waved a shy farewell as she closed the door.

**Will the Mane Six get in trouble? What about Tara and the officer? Find out in future chapters of my story and Fist of Enmity's! Thanks for reading and God bless! Remember to review before you leave! Constructive feedback is welcome!**


	28. Chapter 28: Tara's Plan

**OK, this time I am determined to make you guys check out Four Echo Niner. :P The conversation between Tara and Ford where she explains Equestria to him will not be paraphrased or represented in this story except minimally for continuity's sake. If you want to know how she convinces him he's not crazy, dreaming, or both, follow this link: s/10854691/7/Four-Echo-Niner There, now that that's taken care of, enjoy this chapter! As before, Four Echo Niner will contain more detail. And the tie-in especially with the human side of the story continues. Thanks for reading and remember to review both stories!**

As the officer stared out the window in disbelief, I edged a little closer to Twilight. "Where's the nearest available room where he can stay for the night?"

"In the western wing." Twilight glanced at him uncertainly. "I still can't believe there's two humans here now!"

"Trust me, it's a surprise to me too. Just make sure he doesn't see any other ponies until the morning. I think he's had enough excitement for one day."

"No kidding! I'll make sure he gets to the room without bumping into anypony." Twilight trotted out of the room, leaving me alone with Samuel Ford.

I walked up toward him hesitantly. "Officer?"

He didn't budge. "What?"

"Listen," I began. "I know this is a big shock to you. But…you've got to understand. Equestria is my home now. I can't go back to the human world after discovering who I am and what my responsibilities are here. Surely you understand that."

"But what about MY responsibilities back in the human world?!" he demanded harshly.

I backed up a step. "I can speak to Princess Cadence about getting you access to the Crystal Empire's portal so you can return."

"And where do you expect me to say I've been for—however long it's been now? 'Hey Chief, I was sucked through a magic portal into a realm of talking magical ponies!' I can just imagine how well that would go."

"Your decision. But the portal is open."

He held his head. "I couldn't go through that again. My head would crack."

"Then do like I suggested. Sleep this off and in the morning I'll show you more of Equestria. Then you can decide for certain if you want to go back to the human world."

Samuel Ford looked up at me now. "I still don't believe you're the girl we were sent looking for."

I laughed. "I'm having a hard time with that myself."

Twilight reappeared in the door. "I have the room ready."

"Thanks?" the officer replied. He still had no clue what to think about a talking pony.

Twilight turned beet red. "I think I'll leave now."

As she scampered down the hall I glared at Ford. "Don't scare the ponies!"

He raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

We walked down the darkened hallways until we reached the room Twilight had mentioned. It had not been used in a while, and evidently had been hastily cleaned and the bed remade to be ready for our very unexpected guest. Though not as luxurious as the other rooms in Canterlot Palace, including my own, it appeared as comfortable as an average hotel and certainly sufficient for a one-night stay.

I paused at the door. "Can I have one of the maids get you anything? Something to eat, maybe?"

"I'm okay," the officer answered as he seemed to relax a little in the room.

"Very well. I'll leave you till the morning then. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," he answered.

I used my magic (from my hand) to shut the door and left him alone. My mind was racing. Another human in Equestria—and a male, a police officer at that.

Don't get me wrong. That was awesome. But there was one human I really wanted here more than anyone else.

Savannah.

But something worried me. Every human had a pony counterpart in Equestria, and everypony in Equestria had a human counterpart. That meant that somewhere in Equestria, there was a pony Samuel Ford, a pony Savannah Swift—and probably a pony Tara. Already two humans had crossed the border between realms and at least one would be staying here permanently. Ford would at least be stuck here a while, if not for the rest of his life.

But could bringing another human into Equestria, and on purpose, upset the balance of our worlds?

I knew just who to ask.

It was a short walk to the throne room of Equestria, where the other three princesses were holding a brief conference. Of course, I interrupted to pose my question.

"You want to bring Savannah here?" Celestia stated in surprise.

"Yes. I just wanted to ask you first."

"You are Armonia! You have no need to ask permission for anything from anyone."

"I know. I didn't come for permission, only to ask if it was plausible. And I would like the blessing of my fellow alicorns on my venture."

The princesses nodded their approval.

But bringing my sister permanently into Equestria wasn't that simple. I had to locate a portal for her to use. The pawn shop where I had vanished, still a crime scene, would not work. But maybe the portal at Canterlot High's horse statue would still work?

If Twilight's book were connected to her crazy magic machine, that is…

* * *

><p>The officer unlocked Sunset's handcuffs and gave her a moment to rub her sore wrists. "Empty your pockets on the table, miss."<p>

Sunset's pockets were empty except for a bubble gum wrapper and a pen. The officer extended his hand. "Your jacket."

Sunset reluctantly took off her jacket and handed it over. All she'd had on underneath the jacket was the same sleeveless top she'd worn to the battle of the bands, and it was cold in the station. She would have much preferred to keep her jacket on. But she was in enough trouble already.

About ten feet away, behind a dividing line, stood her friends. They had faithfully followed the officers during Sunset's rather frightening ride in the police car. She shuddered as she remembered riding in the armored backseat, handcuffed, none of the officers speaking to her, wondering what she had done. All they had told her was she was suspected of being connected with Tara's disappearance. Why exactly they suspected, she didn't know.

The officer's voice cut into her thoughts. "You have the legal right to make one phone call before you are processed, Miss Shimmer." He indicated a phone sitting on the table.

Sunset hesitated and glanced in her friends' direction. They all seemed just as confused and scared as her, especially Fluttershy. Rainbow was the only one who appeared angry. But none of them seemed to have heard the officer's words.

Suddenly a certain someone popped into Sunset's memory. Hesitantly she picked up the phone and her shaking hands dialed.

The phone rang once, twice… "Please, please pick up," Sunset whispered.

Finally she heard a click on the other end. "Hello?"

"Savannah?" Sunset gripped the phone a little tighter.

"This is she. Who is this?"

"It's me—Sunset Shimmer. I'm at the police station."

"What? What happened?"

Sunset swallowed. "I—I've been arrested. Dash got pulled over for speeding and the officer asked for ID from all of us. I…didn't have ID and they arrested me."

Savannah sighed. Sunset Shimmer could just imagine her rolling her eyes. "Are you alright, though?"

"I'm not hurt. The others are here too, so I'm not alone. But you said I could call you if…I got in trouble."

"Of course. Hang in there. I'll be over as soon as I can."

"How long?" Sunset asked nervously. She didn't want to spend any longer in this place than necessary.

"About fifteen minutes. I'm walking to the car right now."

"Thank you, Savannah."

"Just hold on. I'm on my way. Goodbye."

"Bye." Sunset hung up the phone and glanced up at the officer again.

"Do you have a lawyer, miss?" he asked.

Sunset couldn't help but half smile. "No. I think I've got something better."

**What will happen to Sunset? Will Savannah come to Equestria? Will I ever stop annoying you with these cliff hangers? Probably not! :P Remember to review and to check out Four Echo Niner! This fanfic is nearly over, so be sure to look for the sequel in the coming weeks! As always, God bless and thanks for reading!**


	29. Chapter 29: Together

**Sorry for the delay in posting this chapter. Hope you enjoy! PLEASE review, you have NO CLUE how encouraging that is!**

Savannah hung up her cell phone and grabbed her purse. "Poor Sunset." But as she walked toward the door she heard something from upstairs. "I left the TV on upstairs again?"

With a slightly irritated walk, she hurried upstairs to turn it off. She had been tuned to a news station that she didn't particularly like and was about to shut if off when she saw a name she recognized—Samuel Swift—onscreen along with a picture. Curious, she turned up the volume.

"Today turned out to be a rather tragic day for the Mount Christopher Police Department, as a three-year veteran officer was declared legally dead. To his friends in the force, Officer Samuel Ford was known as the hero of the infamous Stanford Square shootout. According to anonymous reports from the department, Ford was recently assigned to the case of a girl named Tara Swift who disappeared from a pawn shop."

Savannah tried to imagine the reporter's reaction if she knew what had really happened.

"Eyewitness testimony says that Ford was forcibly abducted by several men just outside the store. No trace of either him or Swift has been found. Our deepest condolences go to the families of both Swift and Ford. This is Katy Shores with your evening newscast, thank you and goodnight."

Savannah shut the TV off. "So he was abducted, huh? By the magic mirror! Whatever that witness saw…he's got to be nuts."

She climbed into her car. "Good grief, don't those policemen have anything better to do than harass me and those girls about Tara?" She shook her head. "Oh well, as long as Sunset doesn't slip up and say anything stupid, she should be fine."

The magical book Sunset Shimmer had given her vibrated on the front passenger seat. Her seat belt halfway on, Savannah paused and picked up the book. A new message from Tara had appeared:

"Dear Savannah,

"I would like to bring you here to Equestria. It doesn't have to be permanent unless you want it to be, but I want you to see where I am now. Ask Applejack and the others to show you where to find the magic portal. Make sure that you have everything you want to bring into Equestria, but don't bring too much. When you come out the other portal in the Crystal Empire, I'll be waiting to greet you.

"Love, Tara."

Savannah couldn't help but smile as she grabbed a pen from the glove compartment. "I'd love to come. But I've got a few loose ends to tie up here first."

* * *

><p>Back in Equestria, I was busy writing a message in the book.<p>

"Dear Savannah,

"I would like to bring you here to Equestria. It doesn't have to be permanent unless you want it to be, but I want you to see where I am now. Ask Applejack and the others to show you where to find the magic portal. Make sure that you have everything you want to bring into Equestria, but don't bring too much. When you come out the other portal in the Crystal Empire, I'll be waiting to greet you.

"Love, Tara."

I put the pen down and leapt up from the chair. "OK Twilight, let's go!"

Twilight looked at me strangely. "Don't you want any breakfast first?"

"Who cares about breakfast? I'm going to get my sister!"

Twilight smiled. "You sound as overjoyed as Celestia when Luna came back."

"Well, shouldn't I be?" I hovered over the floor with my anthro wings. "I'm going to bring my amazing big sister into the world of Equestria and show her everything!"

"Uh, Tara?" Twilight tried to interrupt but I wouldn't let her. "I'll see if I can make her a pony too and if she can meet her pony counterpart and oh! Wouldn't it be crazy if she became a unicorn? I can just imagine how she'd use her magic!"

Twilight sat down. "Tara?"

"I wonder what her cutie mark would be? Maybe a heart? She does show a lot of love to everyone!"

"Tara!" Twilight shouted.

"Huh?"

Suddenly I hit my head on the ceiling. I hadn't realized I was gradually rising higher and higher as I rambled on about my excitement.

"Ouch!" I lowered myself to the floor slowly rubbing the sore spot on my head. Twilight chuckled. "I was trying to warn you that you were about to hit your head on the ceiling like I did adjusting to my wings. Want some healing magic for that?"

"Please," I grunted.

Twilight's horn lit up and after a moment I felt much better. "Thanks, Twilight."

"No problem! Now we'd better get some breakfast and then we can go."

"Uh-uh! Don't think that hitting my head will slow me down!" I dashed for the window. "I'm headed for the Crystal Empire!" And before Twilight could argue, I was outta there.

As I soared through the sky, a brief burst of pink-purple magic next to me revealed Twilight flying swiftly by my side. I raised an eyebrow at her. "Thought you were hungry."

Twilight giggled. "Thought you were still having trouble flying."

"So has Cadence returned to the Empire already?" I asked.

"She and Shining Armor went back last night after that human man showed up."

"His name's Samuel Ford, you know! And was he still asleep when we left?"

"No, I think he actually asked to join Cadence in the Empire this morning. Can't imagine why! He seems terrified of us."

Now THAT was surprising. But I didn't really dwell on that since I was so excited about seeing Savannah again.

The two of us touched down on the balcony of the Crystal Palace and I dashed inside without waiting for Twilight.

The crystal guards approached me and bowed. Dismissively I waved a hand; I wasn't in the mood for formality today. "Where's Princess Cadence?"

"In the throne room, Your Highness—" That was all I heard before I dashed toward the throne room in search of the princess—and the mirror that would bring Savannah here.

Twilight seemed to be taking her sweet time, but I barely noticed. I burst into the throne room and found it empty except for Princess Cadence and—as Twilight had predicted—Samuel Ford, who looked absolutely bewildered.

"Welcome to the Crystal Empire, officer," I greeted him. I waved discreetly at Cadence, who smiled and waved in return.

"Is that what this place is called?" he asked as he stared around himself at the crystal palace.

"Sure is! Isn't it beautiful?"

He opened his mouth but before he could reply, the magic mirror beside Cadence's throne began to swirl and glow. I dashed over and shook with excitement, staring into the purple-pink vortex.

And then a familiar profile took shape in the mirror before stepping out into the palace. Overjoyed, I threw my arms around her. "Savannah!"

Her backpack and purse dropped to the ground—she swept me up in a big bear hug like we had done as children. "Tara!" Both of us were laughing and crying at the same time.

"I can't tell you how glad I am you're okay!" Savannah whispered as she hugged me.

"Boy, have I got a story for you!"

**Remember to check out Four Echo Niner and drop a review for Fist of Enmity and for me! Thanks for reading and God bless!**


	30. Chapter 30: Endings

**I can't believe this is the final chapter! Don't forget to review! :D**

**(This scene takes place right before Savannah and the human Mane Six leave the police station—sorry it's a bit out of order with the rest of the story.)**

Savannah pulled up outside the police station and recognized two cars parked nearby. One, she knew, had been the one Rarity had driven to her house. The other belonged to Rainbow Dash—if nothing else, the rainbow decals running the whole length of the car would have given her a hint.

Hurrying inside, Savannah spotted the five girls waiting anxiously by the windows. They swarmed her as soon as she opened the door.

"Thank goodness you're here!" exclaimed Fluttershy.

"They simply wouldn't listen to us!" Rarity huffed.

"Where's Sunset Shimmer?" Savannah asked firmly.

"They've got 'er in the int'rrogation room," Applejack explained, pointing to a two-way mirror in the wall. "Can't imagine what that poor girl's goin' through."

A lone officer standing outside the door suddenly found himself face-to-face with a very angry Savannah Swift. "What's going on in there?"

He looked up and Savannah raised an eyebrow as she recognized him from earlier that afternoon. "Officer Colton?"

He seemed just as surprised to see her. "Miss Swift?"

Savannah frowned again. "What's going on here? Who's in there?"

"Officer Killian is interrogating a suspect about your sister's kidnapping."

"Sunset Shimmer?"

Colton raised an eyebrow. "Yes. How did you know?"

"She called me when you arrested her! Listen, she is not connected to Tara's disappearance at all!"

Colton raised a hand before Savannah could keep talking. "Hold on there, ma'am. Let me get my colleague and you can talk to him about this."

Taking a deep breath, Savannah attempted to calm herself down. "Alright."

As Colton opened the door to the interrogation room, Savannah got a glimpse inside. The room was sparsely furnished, containing only a table with chairs at either end. In the end nearer to the door Savannah recognized the second officer who had come to her house—Officer Killian. As Colton beckoned to him Savannah saw Sunset Shimmer at the other end of the table. But this wasn't the same friendly girl who had been at her house earlier. Sunset looked scared, slumping in her chair, her eyes downcast at the table in front of her. But more than that, she looked cold. Her jacket had apparently been taken and she had only a tight, sleeveless tank top on underneath. She seemed to be shivering as she rubbed her bare arms.

Any attempt Savannah made to calm down dissolved as her pity for Sunset turned into anger at what was happening to her.

Killian closed the door just then as he stood outside, looking at Savannah in surprise. "What's going on? Why are you here?"

Savannah clenched a fist as she recalled seeing Sunset in the interrogation room. "I'm here because you have arrested someone totally innocent for kidnapping my sister!"

Killian glanced over his shoulder back at the door before making eye contact with Savannah again. "Shimmer? You think she's innocent?"

"I KNOW that she's innocent!" Savannah exclaimed. "Look—if I thought she helped kidnap her, don't you think I'd have mentioned that to you at my house?!"

Killian didn't answer.

"Let her go!" Savannah ordered.

The officer walked back toward the interrogation room and opened the door. Rainbow Dash clenched her fists in excitement. "You. Were. So. AWESOME!"

"You're free to go," Killian told Sunset. Almost immediately, Sunset hurried out of the interrogation room and grabbed her jacket off the table where she had handed it over. Savannah put a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Come on."

As the doors of the police station closed behind the girls, Sunset turned to Savannah Swift with tears in her eyes. "I—I—thank you! How can I ever pay you back for getting me out of there?"

"Show me the portal," Savannah replied immediately. She held up the book proudly. "Princess Armonia has invited me to come to Equestria!"

The girls squealed in excitement.

"Congratulations!" Rarity exclaimed.

"I wish I could go!" Pinkie exclaimed.

"Just show me where it is!" Savannah repeated.

About fifteen minutes of driving time later, their three cars parked in front of Canterlot High and the eight ladies hurried to the base of the horse statue. Sunset knelt beside the base and carefully extended a hand toward it. Savannah raised an eyebrow as the young woman's hand passed right through the seemingly solid stone. For a second, as though she was looking through a frosted glass window, Savannah could have sworn she saw Sunset's hand turn into a hoof.

But the moment was soon gone as Sunset withdrew her hand and stood up. "It's still open. Looks like you're good to go."

"So what are your plans when you get to Equestria?" Applejack asked curiously.

"I want to see my sister again and spend time with her. And if I like it enough…I may just come back here, sell my house and my car, and go to Equestria for the rest of my life."

"I'm sure you'll love it there," Fluttershy agreed.

Looking at the circle of girls around her, Savannah sighed. "I'm going to miss all of you. You came to help me when I was worried about my sister, and now you've shown me the gateway into another world! You have no idea how much it means that I'll be with Tara again very soon."

"In the meantime, can we help you wrap anything up here?" Rarity offered.

"Actually, yes." Savannah tossed a set of keys from her purse toward Applejack. "Park my car back at my house, will you? Just so it's safe."

Applejack caught the keys in midair. "You betcha!"

"And one last thing." Savannah retrieved the magic book from her purse. "I won't be needing this in Equestria." She handed it back to a grateful Sunset Shimmer.

Sunset hugged the book to her chest. "Thank you," she whispered.

"Now, girls, I believe I should be going." Savannah waved one final farewell before facing the portal uncertainly. With a deep breath, and holding tightly to her purse and backpack, she walked into the portal and vanished from sight.

* * *

><p>I can't begin to tell you the joy I felt in that moment. My big sister had safely arrived in Equestria and we were together again.<p>

Savannah pushed me to arm's length and looked me over in surprise. I hadn't realized I was still in my anthro body. "Are you half-alicorn or something right now?"

"Yes! Wait till you see me as a full alicorn!" I laughed and then remembered we weren't alone. "Oh! This is Princess Cadence of the Crystal Empire. Cadence, my sister Savannah." The two greeted each other warmly and I couldn't help but notice that Savannah was taking this much better than Ford had. Of course, she'd had a few hours to prepare—and Sunset Shimmer's story had told her quite a lot.

"And this is the officer sent looking for me—Samuel Ford."

Savannah looked at him and seemed surprised. "Hey, I think I remember you!"

"How?" he asked skeptically.

"Before I came here, I saw your picture on TV. They said the police department declared you…oh. They declared you legally dead." Savannah sighed. "I'm sorry."

Ford just stood there for a second. "Oh, well, that's just great! Now I definitely can't go back!" He walked to the other end of the room and stared out a window.

Cadence stepped delicately from her throne. "I'll leave you alone for a minute," she whispered to me and left.

I looked up at Savannah. "What should I say to him?"

"For now, nothing. Just leave him alone."

Just then I heard Twilight's voice from outside the door. "Can I come in?"

"Sure, Twilight!" I called. Immediately the doors were engulfed in Twilight's magic as she dashed into the room. "This is your sister, I guess?" she asked with a glance at Savannah. I couldn't help but chuckle. Twilight seemed much less fazed by the presence of another human now.

"Yep! I'm Savannah. And who are you, little one?"

Both Twilight and I cringed at Savannah's use of "little one". Twilight may be the smallest of the five alicorns but she was a princess nonetheless.

Twilight stood up a little straighter. "First off, I'm not 'little'. I'm young. And my name is Princess Twilight Sparkle."

"Ah, so you're the famous Twilight who defeated Sunset Shimmer, contributed magic at the battle of the bands, and helped my sister here get her own magic." Savannah smiled. "Sorry I called you little."

"It's okay. Anyhow, I came here because I've got a surprise for Savannah." Twilight pawed the air excitedly. "I found your pony counterpart!"

Savannah raised an eyebrow. "My what, now?"

"Every human has a pony counterpart in Equestria, and vice versa," I explained. "Sounds like Twilight found yours."

A sparkling crystal pony trotted into the room at that moment and looked up at Savannah in awe. My sister laughed in delight. "Oh my gosh! What's your name?"

"Savannah," the crystal pony answered. "What's yours?"

"Savannah!" Human Savannah knelt on the floor and talked excitedly with her pony counterpart, both of them obviously very happy to meet.

"Thanks, Twilight," I smiled as the two new friends talked. But I knew not everyone here was happy. Officer Ford was still staring out the window. "What do I do about him, Twilight?"

The little alicorn seemed uncertain. "If you think he's ready, talk to him. If you don't…just let him alone."

I could see that he was still sore about being declared dead back in the human realm. If that was the case, going back was probably not the best option for him.

But was staying here any better?

Leaving Twilight with the two Savannahs, I walked to about the middle of the room and performed my transformation spell so I was human again. That would probably be less strange to Ford than approaching him in my anthro form again. Cautiously, not quite sure what to say, I walked over to him.

He spoke to himself as though he didn't see me there. "They wrote me off so quickly…couldn't have been more than a few days."

"I'm sorry," I apologized.

"It's not your fault." He leaned against the wall and sighed. "But now I can't go back without having to explain where I've been. Nobody would believe the truth." He looked at me and half-chuckled. "Especially if I told them the more bizarre parts." He looked awkwardly at the floor. "I know this will sound a little crazy, but…is it possible for me to stay here long-term?"

"Of course!" I answered. "Why wouldn't it be?"

"Well…because I'm in a world that could pass for being a little girls' cartoon show."

Both of us laughed at that. "Seriously, you can stay here as long as you want," I answered. "You can even stay at the palace in Canterlot for now until we find you a permanent place to stay. Just one thing."

"What's that?"

"You stand out like a sore thumb—no offense," I added quickly. "It's just that so far, the only human that all ponies are comfortable with having here is me—and you look nothing like a young female human." Suddenly I got an idea. "Of course! Remember when I turned into my half-alicorn body so you could see it?"

"Yes, but what—"

"What if I did that to you? I can't give you too much of my alicorn magic because a human body cannot bear it. But if I give you just enough to be able to transform into a stallion…"

He looked at me like I was crazy. "Why would I want to do that?"

"So you can walk around Equestria whenever you want without getting weird looks and maybe scaring everypony."

"Okay…"

With a snap of my fingers I turned anthro again. In preparation for transferring the magic to him, I put my hands on his shoulders—and immediately realized what I was doing. I turned slightly red and backed up. "Um…this is how the magic would get transferred into you. You don't mind, do you?"

"I guess not."

I replaced my hands and closed my eyes, concentrating, summoning my alicorn transformation magic. A quick peek told me the magic was flowing—my hands on Samuel's shoulders were glowing a slight pale purple as my control of the Element of Magic flowed into him.

And then, in a brief flash, Samuel Ford was a stallion Pegasus pony.

The spell caught the attention of Twilight and the two Savannahs, all of whom reacted with surprise and happiness at the transformation. Ford, on the other hoof, didn't seem quite sure what to think. "Um…what if I want to change back?"

"Just imagine yourself as a human again and you can change back," I replied. He seemed to think for a moment and then became a human again, almost falling over as he readjusted to being on two legs.

Instinctively, I reached out to grab his arm and steady him. But as luck would have it, I missed his arm—and grabbed his hand instead.

He looked up at me in surprise. This time I really blushed and released my grip. "Hehe…sorry."

"You gotta give me some of that magic, sis!" Savannah exclaimed.

"Maybe later."

Savannah gestured for me to come closer so only she and I could talk. "Did you see his cutie mark when he was a pony?"

"No, what was it?"

"It was a shield with four small white stars over it—and a really fancy design on the shield. It looked like a cloud divided into six sections—one was purple, one was lavender, one was pink, one was amber, one was blue, and one was red—and in the middle was a broken sword. That was just the design on the shield itself."

"Oh my gosh…" I whispered.

"What's wrong?"

"The design on his shield…that's MY cutie mark!"

Savannah raised an eyebrow and suddenly chuckled. "I foresee something more than just a casual relationship here."

"Shut up, Savannah."

My sister giggled.

Twilight pawed the air. "Hey, everypony—and everybody," she added with a glance at Savannah and Samuel, "can we get some breakfast now?"

"Breakfast?" Savannah asked in confusion. "I just came from almost midnight!"

"You know, jet lag," I told her and we both laughed at ourselves. Twilight looked puzzled. "What is…jet lag?"

"I'll explain later…MUCH later," I answered.

**And so ends my first MLP fanfic and my first-ever published fanfic-Let Rise a New Alicorn. I can't tell you all how much it's meant to be reading reviews (*cough* don't forget to review *cough* :P ) and PMs encouraging me to keep writing and giving me feedback on this. It's been great, and I hope you'll all check out my other stories. Remember the sequel, "The Struggle of Harmony"-two chapters are already up and a third is on ****its way! :D Thank you for sticking with this story for so long and God bless! Merry CHRISTmas and Happy Hearth's Warming Eve!**

**-LoverofChrist**


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